What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).

West Warwick has the most renters (43% 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	West Warwick
People
Population	8,335Lowest	31,173Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.	42.8±1.5Highest 10% above U.S.
	West Warwick 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%	15.7%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	20%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	West Warwick 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%	26.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.7%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	West Warwick and Bow 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.	$77,608±$7kLowest 4% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.	$330,800±$12kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.	$1,303±$74Lowest 8% below U.S.
	Bow and West Warwick 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.	$4,962Lowest 59% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	43.5%±7.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	West Warwick 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%	9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	57%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	25 minLowest 5% below U.S.
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	7.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#33 of 38 in RI
School district	Bow School District	West Warwick
High school in town	Bow High School	West Warwick High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	13.0Highest
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.