Compare towns
Cohasset vs Natick vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cohasset has the most expensive homes ($1319k median).
Natick has the most renters (31.8% 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 | Cohasset | Natick | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,427 |
36,873Highest |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±4.4 10% above MA |
43.3±1.4Lowest 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Stow and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Cohasset and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Natick and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
70.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Natick and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $199,306±$53kHighest 92% above MA |
$138,538±$11kLowest 33% above MA |
$185,809±$22k 79% above MA |
| Cohasset and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,318,900±$165kHighest 135% above MA |
$821,000±$25k 46% above MA |
$729,600±$39kLowest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA |
$2,134±$124 21% above MA |
$1,782±$126Lowest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,914Lowest 49% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±15.5 MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83% MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 28% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Cohasset 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 | #41 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cohasset | Natick | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Cohasset High School | Natick High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
12.6Highest |
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| 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.