Compare towns
Hudson vs Windsor 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 renters (26.8% rent).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($390k 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 | Windsor | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 20,077Highest |
1,065Lowest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.4% MA: +7.4% |
-7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.9±1.7Lowest 7% above MA |
44.8±6.4Highest 12% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Windsor and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest 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%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.6%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 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% |
41.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| 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 about the MA average |
$115,563±$10k 11% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $496,800±$22k 12% below MA |
$389,700±$32kLowest 31% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA |
— | $1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,892 15% above MA |
$3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.8%±8.7 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 6% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #224 of 282 in MA | — | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hudson | — | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Hudson High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.