What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k 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	Reading	Bow
People
Population	25,612Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Reading and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Reading and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$165,912±$13kLowest 106% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
	Bow and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S.	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$9,320Lowest 199% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bow and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 20 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	30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Reading and Bow 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	#50 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	—	Bow School District
High school in town	—	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.8
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.