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	Reading	Bow School District
High school in town	Reading Memorial High	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Lowest	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.