Compare towns
Boxborough vs Littleton vs Ogunquit vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxborough has the most renters (26.6% rent).
Littleton has the most affordable homes ($658k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Boxborough | Littleton | Ogunquit | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,496 |
10,280Highest |
1,379Lowest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±1.6Lowest 10% above U.S. |
43.5±2 12% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.2%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stow and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Boxborough and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $144,611±$35k 79% above U.S. |
$149,722±$31k 85% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
| Stow and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $706,900±$72k 112% above U.S. |
$658,300±$40kLowest 98% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39k 119% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,887±$173 34% above U.S. |
$2,016±$507Highest 43% above U.S. |
— | $1,782±$126Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Littleton and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$9,458 203% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.8%±22.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Stow 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 | #31 of 282 in MA | #52 of 282 in MA | — | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Littleton | — | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | Littleton High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.