Compare towns
Milton vs Bow vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k median).
Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k median).
Westford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Milton | Bow | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,587Highest |
8,335Lowest |
24,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.8Lowest 6% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
42.8±1.2Highest 10% above U.S. |
| Westford and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.3%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Westford and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
73.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $188,529±$15kHighest 134% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kLowest 114% above U.S. |
$187,198±$10k 132% above U.S. |
| Milton and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $933,200±$31kHighest 180% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S. |
$748,500±$32k 125% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,474±$281Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,436±$422Highest 72% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,677 210% above U.S. |
$9,584Lowest 207% above U.S. |
$9,695Highest 211% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±20.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westford and Milton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1945Lowest 35 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Milton and Westford 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 | #55 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #20 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Nashoba Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Westford |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | Westford Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| 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.