What stands out worked out from the figures below

Winchester has the most expensive homes ($1215k 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	Winchester	Bow
People
Population	23,406Highest	8,335Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.5±1.9Highest 9% above U.S.	41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S.
	Winchester and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	27.6%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22%	25%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Winchester and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Winchester and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	60.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bow and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$230,198±$21kHighest 185% above U.S.	$172,857±$16kLowest 114% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,215,200±$39kHighest 265% above U.S.	$506,500±$34kLowest 52% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,279±$481Highest 61% 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	39.3%±13.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Winchester and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 19% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	33.8%±3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	22.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#11 of 282 in MA	#26 of 120 in NH
School district	Winchester	Bow School District
High school in town	Winchester High School	Bow High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Highest	12.8Lowest
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.