What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wellesley has the most expensive homes ($1583k 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	Wellesley	Bow
People
Population	30,347Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.1±2.2Lowest 5% below U.S.	41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	24.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bow and Wellesley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bow and Wellesley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	89%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	18.3%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$250,001Highest 210% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kLowest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,582,700±$49kHighest 376% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,886±$360Highest 104% above U.S.	$1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$9,584Lowest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	44.1%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Wellesley and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 3% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	32%±2.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#6 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Wellesley	Bow School District
High school in town	Wellesley Sr High	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.8Lowest	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.