What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the highest household income ($173k).

Saugus has the most expensive homes ($603k 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.

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

Measure	Bow	Saugus
People
Population	8,335Lowest	28,773Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.	44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S.
	Saugus 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%	15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	22%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Saugus 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%	31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Saugus 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.	$101,539±$3kLowest 26% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.	$603,400±$13kHighest 81% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.	$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.	$6,049Lowest 94% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	53%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Saugus 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	30 minHighest 12% above U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	14.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#194 of 282 in MA
School district	Bow School District	Saugus
High school in town	Bow High School	Saugus High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	15.5Highest
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.