Compare towns
Townsend vs Amherst vs Bow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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.
| Measure | Townsend | Amherst | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
11,861Highest |
8,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| Bow and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30kHighest 62% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
| Amherst and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,462±$256Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$9,773Highest 213% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Townsend and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #20 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Souhegan Coop High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
10.4Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.