Compare towns
Townsend vs Bow vs East Bridgewater
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).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
East Bridgewater has the most expensive homes ($510k 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 | Townsend | Bow | East Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
8,335Lowest |
14,456Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
41.6±2.2Highest 7% above U.S. |
| East Bridgewater 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% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and East Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.5Lowest 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. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$133,853±$9k 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$510,200±$32kHighest 53% above U.S. |
| East Bridgewater and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,981±$671Highest 40% above U.S. |
| East Bridgewater and Bow 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. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,522 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.9%±20.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| East Bridgewater and Townsend 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.3%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and East Bridgewater 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #204 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Bow School District | East Bridgewater |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Bow High School | East Bridgewater JR./SR. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
12.8Lowest |
13.3Highest |
| 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.