Compare towns
Hudson vs Stow vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077 |
7,165Lowest |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7 7% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $103,400±$13k about the MA average |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22k 12% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 15% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Worcester 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% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 6% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | Nashoba | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Hudson High | None in town | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| 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.