Compare towns
Boxborough vs Williamstown vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
Williamstown has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Williamstown is a college town. 28.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Williamstown | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,496Lowest |
9,150Highest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±1.6 7% above MA |
37.5±6.9Lowest 6% below MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Stow and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.9 MA: 19.4% |
15.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Williamstown and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
70.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.1 MA: 7.9% |
28.9%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $144,611±$35k 39% above MA |
$106,650±$25kLowest about the MA average |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Stow and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $706,900±$72k 26% above MA |
$437,100±$39kLowest 22% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
| Stow and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,887±$173Highest 7% above MA |
$1,584±$292Lowest 10% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
| Boxborough and Stow 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 67% above MA |
$5,290Lowest 12% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.8%±22.7 MA: 51.8% |
48.9%±15.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.2%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.8% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 3% above MA |
16 minLowest 45% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
27.3%±5.5 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Williamstown 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 | #45 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Mount Greylock | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Greylock Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.