What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stoneham has the most expensive homes ($672k 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	Stoneham	Bow
People
Population	23,355Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.2±2.2Highest 8% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Stoneham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.8%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Stoneham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$113,964±$10kLowest 41% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$671,900±$26kHighest 102% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,035±$142Highest 44% above U.S.	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,523Lowest 109% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.9%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Stoneham and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	24.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Stoneham 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	#117 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Stoneham	Bow School District
High school in town	Stoneham High	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	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.