Compare towns
Maynard vs Buzzards Bay vs Stow vs Northborough
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 most renters (25% rent).
Buzzards Bay has the oldest population (median age 54.4).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Buzzards Bay | Stow | Northborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,712 |
2,909Lowest |
7,165 |
15,750Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.9% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
54.4±5.9Highest 36% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
45±3 13% above MA |
| Buzzards Bay and Maynard 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% |
6.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
32.3%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.2% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
65.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$94,388±$12kLowest 9% below MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$153,199±$19k 47% above MA |
| Stow and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $527,400±$31k 6% below MA |
$454,500±$28kLowest 19% below MA |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$620,000±$24k 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$1,484±$601Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,919±$269Highest 9% above MA |
| Northborough and Maynard 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 |
$3,405Lowest 43% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,983 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
37.9%±20.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Northborough 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% |
7.3% MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3 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 | — | #44 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Maynard | — | Nashoba | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro |
| High school in town | Maynard High | — | None in town | Algonquin Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Lowest |
— | — | 10.8Highest |
| 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.