What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hanson has the most expensive homes ($534k median).

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

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	Hanson	Bow
People
Population	10,660Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.8±3Highest 10% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Hanson and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Hanson and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,200±$10kLowest 64% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$533,900±$36kHighest 60% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.
	Hanson and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S.	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.
	Hanson and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,402Lowest 105% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hanson and Bow 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%	2.7% U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 27% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	7.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#149 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Whitman-Hanson	Bow School District
High school in town	Whitman Hanson Regional	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.7Highest	12.8Lowest
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.