Compare towns
Brookfield vs Maynard vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Maynard has the most renters (25% rent).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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.
| Measure | Brookfield | Maynard | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
10,712Highest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
64.2% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$527,400±$31k 6% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,800±$148Highest about the MA average |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
| Maynard and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092Lowest 15% below MA |
$8,266 38% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Maynard 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Maynard | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | Maynard High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.7 |
— |
| 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.