Compare towns
Beverly vs Stow vs Woburn
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 affordable homes ($650k median).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
Woburn has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Stow | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 42,665Highest |
7,165Lowest |
41,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
39.3±1.6 about the MA average |
| Stow and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Beverly and Stow 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% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$111,185±$9k 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $650,300±$13kLowest 16% above MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$673,500±$17k 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,836 14% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5Lowest 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% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #144 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Beverly | Nashoba | Woburn |
| High school in town | Beverly High | None in town | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.