Compare towns
Bow vs Norwich vs Stowe vs Waitsfield
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 highest household income ($173k).
Norwich has the most renters (28.1% rent).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
Waitsfield has the most affordable homes ($422k 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.
| Measure | Bow | Norwich | Stowe | Waitsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
3,640 |
5,285 |
1,918Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
46.3±7.6Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.3±5.3 14% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Waitsfield 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% |
24%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
28.2%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waitsfield and Stowe 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% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Norwich 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. |
$140,313±$12k 74% above U.S. |
$93,618±$33k 16% above U.S. |
$84,375±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76k 92% above U.S. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$422,400±$92kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,460±$322 3% above U.S. |
$1,458±$242 3% above U.S. |
$1,200±$821Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Bow and Norwich 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,161 130% above U.S. |
$6,208Lowest 99% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.4%±30.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waitsfield 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% |
2.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stowe 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 | #1 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Norwich School District | Stowe Town School District | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Stowe High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 11.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.