Compare towns
Bow vs Maynard vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Maynard has the most renters (25% rent).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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.
| Measure | Bow | Maynard | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
10,712Highest |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.3±4.3Highest 16% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
| Maynard and Stow 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% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stow and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$124,067±$16kLowest 54% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
| Stow and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$527,400±$31k 59% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,800±$148Highest 27% above U.S. |
$1,782±$126 26% above U.S. |
| Maynard and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$8,266Lowest 165% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow and Maynard 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% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stow and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #26 of 120 in NH | #166 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | — | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Bow High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.