Compare towns
Hudson vs Stow vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hudson has the most renters (32% rent).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
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 | Hudson | Stow | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,719 |
7,165Lowest |
16,458Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
| Stow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±2.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hudson and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,524±$9kLowest 13% below MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,300±$15k 16% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,397±$83 21% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,597 10% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.3%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Northbridge |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.