Compare towns
Hudson vs Stow vs Plainville
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%).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
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 | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,719Highest |
7,165Lowest |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.2±3.6Lowest 8% 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% |
18.3%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Plainville 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 |
$104,106±$13k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,300±$15kLowest 16% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$476,000±$35k 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,397±$83Lowest 21% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA |
| Plainville and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,597 10% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.4%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Plainville 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% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 18.3%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Plainville |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.