Compare towns
Mansfield vs Stow vs Amesbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering MansfieldNorton
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 41.4).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Amesbury has the most affordable homes ($519k 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 | Mansfield | Stow | Amesbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,931Highest |
7,165Lowest |
17,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.4±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
| Stow and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mansfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Stow and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.1% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Mansfield and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,273±$15k 21% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,500±$28k 7% above MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$519,300±$32kLowest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,803±$147Highest about the MA average |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,683±$115Lowest 4% below MA |
| Mansfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,226Lowest 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Amesbury and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 20%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #60 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mansfield | Nashoba | Amesbury |
| High school in town | Mansfield High | None in town | Amesbury High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
— | 10.9Lowest |
| 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.