What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lowell has the most renters (56.8% rent).

Bow has the highest household income ($173k).

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	Lowell	Bow
People
Population	118,368Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	35.6±0.8Lowest 8% below U.S.	41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	21.7%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9.7%±0.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,658±$4kLowest about the U.S. average	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$429,200±$11kLowest 29% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,625±$40Highest 15% above U.S.	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.
	Lowell and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,499Lowest 44% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.4%±3.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lowell and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	43.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 6% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	10.6%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#255 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Lowell	Bow School District
High school in town	Lowell High	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Highest	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.