Compare towns
Hudson vs Athol vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k 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 | Hudson | Athol | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
12,011 |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7 7% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% 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 | 19.3%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hudson and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1% MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Hudson and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,400±$13k about the MA average |
$69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22k 12% below MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82 20% below MA |
$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 15% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Athol-Royalston | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Athol High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
11.6Highest |
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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.