What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westfield has the most affordable homes ($325k median).

Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).

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	Westfield	Bow
People
Population	40,378Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.9±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average	41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S.
	Bow and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.7%±1.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Westfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$87,753±$6kLowest 9% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$325,100±$11kLowest about the U.S. average	$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S.	$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,746Lowest 52% above U.S.	$9,584Highest 207% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.5%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Westfield and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest about the U.S. average	27 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	8.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#197 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Westfield	Bow School District
High school in town	Westfield High	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Lowest	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.