Compare towns
Hudson vs Stow vs Ware
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).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Stow | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
7,165Lowest |
10,048 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
| Stow and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware 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 about the MA average |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22k 12% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82 20% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 15% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Nashoba | Ware |
| High school in town | Hudson High | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| 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.