Compare towns
Maynard vs Stow vs Windham vs Hadley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Maynard has the oldest housing (typical home built 1963).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Stow | Windham | Hadley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,712 |
7,165 |
19,188Highest |
5,306Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.3 16% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45.8±7.1Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Hadley 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stow and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.2%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hadley 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,067±$16k 54% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$119,259±$12k 48% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $527,400±$31k 59% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$511,000±$43k 54% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$148Highest 27% above U.S. |
$1,782±$126 26% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,402±$132 about the U.S. average |
| Maynard and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,266 165% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$5,271 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.6%±18.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.1%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #116 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Maynard | Nashoba | RSU 14 | Hadley |
| High school in town | Maynard High | None in town | Windham High School | Hopkins Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7 |
— | 12.1Highest |
7.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.