What stands out worked out from the figures below

Marlborough has the most renters (44% rent).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Marlborough	Stow
People
Population	41,647Highest	7,165Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA	44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA
Kids under 18	20.8%±2Lowest MA: 19.4%	22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4%
	Stow and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	14.9%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9%
	Stow and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	75.1%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Marlborough and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,968±$9kLowest 12% below MA	$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$513,100±$28kLowest 9% below MA	$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,871±$123Highest 6% above MA	$1,782±$126Lowest about the MA average
	Marlborough and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,747Lowest 4% below MA	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.9%±6.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Stow and Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.6%Highest MA: 10%	5.2%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	56%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974 10 yrs newer than MA	1974 10 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest about the MA average	36 minHighest 23% above MA
Work from home	16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#215 of 282 in MA	#44 of 282 in MA
School district	Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough	Nashoba
High school in town	Assabet Valley Vocational High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.1	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.