What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wakefield has the most expensive homes ($724k median).

Bow has the most affordable homes ($507k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wakefield	Bow
People
Population	27,793Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±1.7Highest 9% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Wakefield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19%±1.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Wakefield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$134,306±$14kLowest 66% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$723,500±$24kHighest 117% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,958±$102Highest 39% above U.S.	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,779Lowest 149% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.7%±7.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Wakefield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 26% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	24.6%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wakefield 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	#179 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield	Bow School District
High school in town	Northeast Metro Regional Vocational	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.