Compare towns
Beverly vs Hudson vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Beverly has the most renters (39.9% rent).
Hudson has the most affordable homes ($497k median).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
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 | Beverly | Hudson | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
20,077 |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
42.9±1.7 7% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Stow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hudson and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.4% MA: 47.3% |
46.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7k about the MA average |
$103,400±$13kLowest about the MA average |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
$496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106 about the MA average |
$1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
| Stow and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836Lowest 14% above MA |
$6,892 15% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.3% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #144 of 282 in MA | #224 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Hudson | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Beverly High | Hudson High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
10.2Lowest |
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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.