What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k 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	Westfield
People
Population	8,335Lowest	40,378Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S.	39.9±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average
	Bow and Westfield 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%	18.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Westfield 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%	33.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.	$87,753±$6kLowest 9% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.	$325,100±$11kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.	$1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.	$4,746Lowest 52% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	46.5%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Westfield 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%	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	8.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#26 of 120 in NH	#197 of 282 in MA
School district	Bow School District	Westfield
High school in town	Bow High School	Westfield High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Highest	11.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.