Compare towns
Hudson vs Stow vs Windham
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 affordable homes ($497k median).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
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 | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
7,165Lowest |
16,038 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7 10% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% 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%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Stow 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% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest 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% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hudson and Windham 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. |
$185,809±$22k 130% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
| Windham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22kLowest 49% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50k 117% above U.S. |
| Stow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,782±$126 26% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892Lowest 121% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% 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% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #13 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hudson | Nashoba | Windham School District |
| High school in town | Hudson High | None in town | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.