Compare towns
Waterbury vs Bow vs Middlesex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waterbury has the most renters (29.4% rent).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Middlesex has the most affordable homes ($376k 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 | Waterbury | Bow | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,405 |
8,335Highest |
1,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±3.7 11% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Highest 14% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlesex and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,917±$23kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $447,200±$40k 34% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Bow and Waterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,027±$535Lowest 27% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
| Bow and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,435Lowest 106% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.8%±21.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Waterbury and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.3%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Waterbury 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 | #20 of 70 in VT | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Harwood Unified Union School District #60 | Bow School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 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.