What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).

Wellesley has the most expensive homes ($1583k 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	Wellesley
People
Population	8,335Lowest	30,347Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S.	37.1±2.2Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%	24.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and Wellesley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bow and Wellesley 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%	89%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	18.3%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$172,857±$16kLowest 114% above U.S.	$250,001Highest 210% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.	$1,582,700±$49kHighest 376% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.	$2,886±$360Highest 104% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Lowest 207% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	44.1%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Wellesley 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%	4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	84.4%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 minLowest about the U.S. average	27 minHighest 3% above U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	32%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#6 of 282 in MA
School district	Bow School District	Wellesley
High school in town	Bow High School	Wellesley Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	10.8Lowest
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.