What stands out worked out from the figures below

Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% 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	Northbridge	Bow
People
Population	16,458Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.8±2.6Highest 13% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Northbridge and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bow and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.3%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,319±$19kLowest 38% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,207±$102Lowest 15% below U.S.	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.2%±9.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Northbridge and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 7 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	16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bow and Northbridge 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	#226 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Northbridge	Bow School District
High school in town	Northbridge High	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	12.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.