Compare towns
Auburn vs Mansfield vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k median).
Mansfield has the most renters (26.9% rent).
Stow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
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 | Auburn | Mansfield | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970 |
23,931Highest |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
41.4±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Auburn and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Mansfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
51.1% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mansfield and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
$125,273±$15k 21% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
$603,500±$28k 7% above MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,803±$147Highest about the MA average |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
| Mansfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
$7,226 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #106 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Mansfield | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Mansfield High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.