Compare towns
Marlborough vs Stow vs Hudson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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%).
Hudson has the most affordable homes ($497k 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 | Marlborough | Stow | Hudson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,647Highest |
7,165Lowest |
20,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.5±1.3Lowest 6% below MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
42.9±1.7 7% above MA |
| Stow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±2.5Lowest 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%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±2.3Highest 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+ | 40.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Marlborough and Hudson 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 |
$103,400±$13k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $513,100±$28k 9% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$496,800±$22kLowest 12% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,871±$123Highest 6% above MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,406±$82Lowest 20% below MA |
| 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 |
$6,892 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.9%±6.5 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
40.8%±8.7Lowest 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% |
5.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #215 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #224 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Marlborough | Nashoba | Hudson |
| High school in town | Assabet Valley Vocational High School | None in town | Hudson High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
— | 10.2Highest |
| 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.