Compare towns
Waltham vs Bow vs Ferrisburgh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waltham has the oldest population (median age 60.8).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Ferrisburgh has the most renters (14.7% rent).
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 | Waltham | Bow | Ferrisburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 452Lowest |
8,335Highest |
2,661 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.5±4.9 17% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Ferrisburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,500±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$106,989±$22k 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,700±$51kLowest about the U.S. average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$422,700±$35k 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$113Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,435±$173 about the U.S. average |
| Bow and Ferrisburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,714Lowest 83% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,120 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±58.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
57%±19.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ferrisburgh and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Waltham 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #7 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Addison Northwest Unified Union School District #54 |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.