Compare towns
Hudson vs Dalton vs Stow
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 youngest population (median age 42.9).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Dalton | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
6,256Lowest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA |
49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Dalton and Stow 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% |
20.6%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton and Hudson 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% |
44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest 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 |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22k 12% below MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82 20% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 15% above MA |
$4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #192 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Central Berkshire | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Wahconah Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
10.9Highest |
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| 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.