Compare towns
Auburn vs Maynard 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).
Maynard has the most renters (25% rent).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Maynard | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970Highest |
10,712 |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6 12% above MA |
45.3±4.3Highest 13% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
| Maynard and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Auburn 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% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest 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% |
64.2% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Auburn and Stow 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 |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
$527,400±$31k 6% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,800±$148Highest about the MA average |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
| Maynard 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 |
$8,266 38% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
75%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Maynard 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 | #106 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | — | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.