Compare towns
Saugus vs Bow vs Middleborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Saugus has the most expensive homes ($603k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Middleborough has the most affordable homes ($469k 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 | Saugus | Bow | Middleborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 28,773Highest |
8,335Lowest |
24,505 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±2.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.4±2.1 12% above U.S. |
| Saugus and Middleborough 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% |
18.8%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 22%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Saugus and Middleborough 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% |
32% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.1Lowest 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±$3k 26% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$97,056±$7kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,400±$13kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$468,700±$18kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,241±$201Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,706±$72 21% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,049 94% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,023Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.2%±11.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middleborough and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 18 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.3%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #194 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #170 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Saugus | Bow School District | Middleborough |
| High school in town | Saugus High | Bow High School | Middleborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.5Highest |
12.8 |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.