Compare towns
Chilmark vs Bow vs West Tisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Chilmark has the most expensive homes ($1895k median).
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
West Tisbury has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Chilmark | Bow | West Tisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,578Lowest |
8,335Highest |
3,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +40%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+29.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±8.1 38% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
54.8±5.4Highest 41% above U.S. |
| West Tisbury and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±12.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±7.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chilmark and West Tisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Tisbury and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $168,750±$28kLowest 109% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16k 114% above U.S. |
$182,750±$73kHighest 126% above U.S. |
| West Tisbury and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,895,300±$281kHighest 470% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$1,302,100±$187k 291% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,750±$2kHighest 95% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,350±$519 66% above U.S. |
| Chilmark and West Tisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,485Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,497 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.8%±59.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
26%±43.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bow and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
17 minLowest 38% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.7%±11 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.3%±20.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| West Tisbury and Chilmark 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 | #181 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Up-Island Regional | Bow School District | Up-Island Regional |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.