Compare towns
Holbrook vs Bow vs Charlton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holbrook has the oldest housing (typical home built 1957).
Bow has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Charlton has the most affordable homes ($428k 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.
| Measure | Holbrook | Bow | Charlton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,380 |
8,335Lowest |
13,435Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.2 10% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43±4Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Charlton and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
24.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Holbrook and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charlton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,210±$14kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$117,587±$8k 46% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $465,400±$21k 40% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$427,500±$19kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Bow and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,094±$423Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,381±$415 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,105 96% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,617Lowest 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.3%±9.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Holbrook and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 24% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #234 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #133 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holbrook | Bow School District | Dudley-Charlton Reg · Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Distric |
| High school in town | Holbrook Middle High School | Bow High School | Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
12.8 |
9.7Lowest |
| 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.