Compare towns
Windsor vs Bow vs Cheshire
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most homeowners (96.2%).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Cheshire has the most affordable homes ($268k 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 | Windsor | Bow | Cheshire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,065Lowest |
8,335Highest |
3,216 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 15% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
53.7±4.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Cheshire and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.3%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Cheshire and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10k 43% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$69,803±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32k 17% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$268,200±$48kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867 24% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$3,005Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
21.2%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bow and Cheshire are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
4.4%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Windsor 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #274 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Bow School District | Hoosac Valley Regional |
| High school in town | — | Bow High School | Hoosac Valley High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
10.5Lowest |
| 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.