What stands out worked out from the figures below

Avon has the most affordable homes ($510k median).

Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Avon	Stoneham
People
Population	4,774Lowest	23,355Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+8.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	37.5±4Lowest 6% below MA	42.2±2.2Highest 6% above MA
	Stoneham and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.6%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4%	20.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Avon and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.6%±4.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Stoneham and Avon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	55.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	7.6%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9%	4.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Avon and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$130,625±$33kHighest 26% above MA	$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA
	Avon and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$509,600±$62kLowest 9% below MA	$671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,558±$265Lowest 12% below MA	$2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,627Highest 11% above MA	$6,523Lowest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.3%±24.4Highest MA: 51.8%	41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Avon and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.6%Lowest MA: 10%	5.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	71%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA	1964Highest same as MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 5% below MA	28 minHighest 4% below MA
Work from home	10.3%±3.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#212 of 282 in MA	#117 of 282 in MA
School district	Avon	Stoneham
High school in town	Avon Middle High School	Stoneham High
Students per teacherat that high school	9.4Lowest	10.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.