Compare towns
Lawrence vs Bow vs Pelham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Pelham has the most expensive homes ($553k 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 | Lawrence | Bow | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 88,736Highest |
8,335Lowest |
14,449 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
41.5±2.7Highest 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lawrence and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pelham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19k 68% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $415,200±$23kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S. |
| Pelham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Lawrence and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$8,634 177% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pelham and Bow 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #48 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lawrence | Bow School District | Pelham School District |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Bow High School | Pelham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
12.8 |
10.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.