What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stow has the most homeowners (96.2%).

White River Junction has the highest household income ($77k).

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	Stow	White River Junction
People
Population	535Lowest	3,364Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+10.8% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	57±10.5Highest 47% above U.S.	33.7±3.2Lowest 13% below U.S.
Kids under 18	15.7%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	17.1%±5Highest U.S.: 22%
	White River Junction and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	37.9%±17.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	12.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	38.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	1.2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Stow and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$42,204±$22kLowest 48% below U.S.	$77,168±$4kHighest 4% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$326,400±$42kHighest about the U.S. average	$278,800±$78kLowest 16% below U.S.
	Stow and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,222±$216 14% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,304Lowest 6% above U.S.	$5,651Highest 81% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	42.9%±17.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	White River Junction and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	43.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1998Highest 18 yrs newer than U.S.	1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	51 minHighest 95% above U.S.	15 minLowest 42% below U.S.
Work from home	17.7%±12Highest U.S.: 15.1%	15.7%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Stow and White River Junction are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
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.