Compare towns
Pawlet vs Bow vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pawlet has the oldest housing (typical home built 1964).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Wells has the most affordable homes ($243k 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 | Pawlet | Bow | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,480 |
8,335Highest |
1,148Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.9±7.5 23% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
50.7±5.2Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Wells and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pawlet and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $62,273±$14kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$75,417±$11k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $266,200±$44k 20% below U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$243,000±$42kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,153±$215Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,313±$282 7% below U.S. |
| Bow and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,924 26% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,308Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.6%±21.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.5%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wells and Pawlet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
48 minHighest 80% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Pawlet 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mettawee School District #84 | Bow School District | Wells Spring Unified Union School District #69 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| 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.