Compare towns
Maynard vs Bourne vs Hadley vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Maynard has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
Bourne has the oldest population (median age 52).
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Maynard | Bourne | Hadley | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,712 |
20,323Highest |
5,306Lowest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
45.8±7.1 15% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
| Bourne and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.2%±4.8 MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.2% MA: 47.3% |
46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
61.3% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$119,259±$12k 15% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $527,400±$31k 6% below MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$148Highest about the MA average |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,402±$132 20% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
| Maynard and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,266 38% above MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$5,271 12% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75% MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±7.4 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #166 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #116 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Maynard | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Hadley | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Maynard High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Hopkins Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7 |
9.8Highest |
7.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.