What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hudson has the most renters (26.8% rent).

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

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	Hudson	Bow
People
Population	20,077Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.9±1.7Highest 10% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Hudson and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Hudson and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,400±$13kLowest 28% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$496,800±$22kLowest 49% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.
	Bow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,406±$82Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.
	Bow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,892Lowest 121% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40.8%±8.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hudson and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	19.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bow and Hudson 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	#224 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Hudson	Bow School District
High school in town	Hudson High	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.2Lowest	12.8Highest
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.