What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

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.

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

Measure	Bow	Montpelier
People
Population	8,335Highest	8,014Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.	42.3±2.4Highest 9% above U.S.
	Montpelier 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%	17.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.3%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	60.3%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%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Montpelier 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.	$81,030±$6kLowest about the U.S. average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.	$375,100±$21kLowest 13% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.	$1,302±$113Lowest 8% below U.S.
	Bow and Montpelier 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.	$6,936Lowest 122% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest 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%	6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	53.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	18 minLowest 31% below U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	26.9%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Montpelier and Bow 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	Montpelier Roxbury Unified Union School District #71
High school in town	Bow High School	Montpelier High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	10.4Lowest
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.