Compare towns
Hudson vs Dover vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hudson has the oldest housing (typical home built 1970).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
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 | Dover | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077 |
33,364Highest |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7 10% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.1±4.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
| 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%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 46.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Hudson 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 28% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22k 49% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,782±$126Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Stow and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892Lowest 121% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #64 of 120 in NH | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Dover School District | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
12.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.