What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

Ludlow has the most affordable homes ($335k median).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bow	Ludlow
People
Population	8,335Lowest	20,904Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.	44.3±1.8Highest 14% above U.S.
	Ludlow and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%	16.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Ludlow and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	27%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.	$84,838±$7kLowest 5% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.	$335,300±$10kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.	$1,223±$82Lowest 13% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.	$4,918Lowest 58% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	50.7%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ludlow and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	77.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	20 minLowest 24% below U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#154 of 282 in MA
School district	Bow School District	Ludlow
High school in town	Bow High School	Ludlow Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.1Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.