What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marblehead has the most expensive homes ($944k median).

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	Marblehead	Bow
People
Population	20,413Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±2Highest 26% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	22.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	78.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$182,132±$28kHighest 126% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kLowest 114% above U.S.
	Marblehead and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$943,900±$31kHighest 184% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,764±$147Highest 25% above U.S.	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.
	Marblehead and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,309Lowest 166% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	49.5%±8.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Marblehead and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	34%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#47 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Marblehead	Bow School District
High school in town	Marblehead High	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	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.