What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Middleborough has the most renters (23.1% rent).

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	Middleborough
People
Population	8,335Lowest	24,505Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.	43.4±2.1Highest 12% above U.S.
	Middleborough 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%	18.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	21.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Middleborough 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%	32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Middleborough 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.	$97,056±$7kLowest 20% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.	$468,700±$18kLowest 41% above U.S.
	Bow and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.	$1,706±$72Highest 21% above U.S.
	Middleborough and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.	$6,023Lowest 93% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	57.2%±11.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Middleborough 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%	6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	76.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	31 minHighest 18% above U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	13.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#170 of 282 in MA
School district	Bow School District	Middleborough
High school in town	Bow High School	Middleborough High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.3Lowest
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.