Compare towns
Bow vs Middlesex vs Montpelier
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Middlesex has the most homeowners (96.7%).
Montpelier has the most renters (46.9% 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.
| Measure | Bow | Middlesex | Montpelier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
1,943Lowest |
8,014 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
42.3±2.4 9% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Montpelier 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% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
17.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Middlesex 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% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Montpelier and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Middlesex 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. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$81,030±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$375,100±$21kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,302±$113Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Bow and Middlesex 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. |
$6,483Lowest 108% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.4%±9.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montpelier 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% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Montpelier 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 | — | #9 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bow School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71 |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Montpelier High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
| 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.