Compare towns
Cohasset vs Ware 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).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Ware | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,427 |
10,048Highest |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.9±4.4 10% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±15.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 28% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
36 min 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Cohasset | Ware | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Cohasset High School | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
11.1Highest |
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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.