Compare towns
Bow vs Windham vs Worcester
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 most people working from home (22.7%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($723k median).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% 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.
| Measure | Bow | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Lowest |
16,038 |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9 6% above U.S. |
33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Bow 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%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Windham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,487±$38Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Worcester and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | Windham School District | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Windham High School | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Lowest |
12.8Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.