Compare towns
Holbrook vs Stoneham vs Charlton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holbrook has the oldest housing (typical home built 1957).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Charlton has the most kids (24.7% under 18).
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 | Holbrook | Stoneham | Charlton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,380Lowest |
23,355Highest |
13,435 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% MA: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.2 7% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
43±4Highest 8% above MA |
| Charlton and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
20.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24.7%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Charlton and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
55.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Charlton and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $115,210±$14k 11% above MA |
$113,964±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$117,587±$8kHighest 13% above MA |
| Charlton and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $465,400±$21k 17% below MA |
$671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA |
$427,500±$19kLowest 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,094±$423Lowest 38% below MA |
$2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
$1,381±$415 22% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,105 about the MA average |
$6,523Highest 9% above MA |
$4,617Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±18.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2 MA: 51.8% |
41.3%±9.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Holbrook and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
2.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% MA: 62.5% |
71%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
13%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #234 of 282 in MA | #117 of 282 in MA | #133 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holbrook | — | Dudley-Charlton Reg · Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Distric |
| High school in town | Holbrook Middle High School | — | Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
— | 9.7Lowest |
| 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.