Compare towns
Hudson vs Marlow 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 most renters (26.8% rent).
Marlow has the most affordable homes ($325k 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 | Marlow | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
855Lowest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 10% above U.S. |
52.8±11.7Highest 36% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
| Marlow 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Stow and Marlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±5.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$13kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$110,455±$12k 37% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22k 49% above U.S. |
$325,400±$49kLowest about the U.S. average |
$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82 about the U.S. average |
$1,154±$160Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,782±$126Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 121% above U.S. |
$5,826Lowest 87% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
18.2%±95.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow and Hudson 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
35 min 33% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest 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 | — | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Marlow School District | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Hudson High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2 |
— | — |
| 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.