Compare towns
Maynard vs Needham vs Stow vs Upton
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).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
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 | Needham | Stow | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,712 |
32,459Highest |
7,165Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Upton 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% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Stow 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% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
75.1% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,067±$16kLowest 19% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$185,809±$22k 79% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Needham and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $527,400±$31kLowest 6% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,266Lowest 38% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±9.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Needham 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% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Maynard | Needham | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Maynard High | Needham High | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— | 11.2 |
| 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.