Compare towns
Hudson vs Natick 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 most affordable homes ($497k median).
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Natick | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077 |
36,873Highest |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA |
43.3±1.4 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Stow and Natick 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% |
21.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Natick 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% |
20.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Natick 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.8% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Natick 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±$13kLowest about the MA average |
$138,538±$11k 33% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA |
$821,000±$25kHighest 46% above MA |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892Lowest 15% above MA |
$8,914 49% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Natick | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Hudson High | Natick High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
12.6Highest |
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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.