Compare towns
Maynard vs Windham vs Northborough vs Stow
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 most renters (25% rent).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Windham | Northborough | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,712 |
19,188Highest |
15,750 |
7,165Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.3Highest 16% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
45±3 16% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
| Maynard and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stow and Maynard 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% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Northborough and Windham 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 54% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$153,199±$19k 90% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
| 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 59% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$620,000±$24k 86% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$148 27% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,919±$269Highest 36% above U.S. |
$1,782±$126 26% above U.S. |
| Northborough and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,266 165% above U.S. |
$3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$7,983 156% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.1%±16.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.9%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.5%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2Highest 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #35 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Maynard | RSU 14 | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Maynard High | Windham High School | Algonquin Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Lowest |
12.1Highest |
10.8 |
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| 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.