Compare towns
Westfield vs Bow vs Montgomery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westfield has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Montgomery has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
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 | Westfield | Bow | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 40,378Highest |
8,335 |
796Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
49.7±5.8Highest 28% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
22%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Montgomery and Westfield 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% |
38.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,753±$6kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$123,000±$19k 52% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,100±$11kLowest about the U.S. average |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$357,500±$29k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,117±$60Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,746 52% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,283Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.5%±5.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Montgomery and Westfield 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.4%±6 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 | 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.