What stands out worked out from the figures below

Saugus has the most expensive homes ($603k median).

Bow has the highest household income ($173k).

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	Saugus	Bow
People
Population	28,773Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Saugus and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	22%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Saugus and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,539±$3kLowest 26% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$603,400±$13kHighest 81% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S.	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,049Lowest 94% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Saugus and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 12% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	14.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#194 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Saugus	Bow School District
High school in town	Saugus High	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	15.5Highest	12.8Lowest
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.