Compare towns
Medfield vs Lancaster vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Medfield has the highest household income ($219k).
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($519k median).
Stow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
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 | Medfield | Lancaster | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,849Lowest |
8,606Highest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.7±5.4Highest 14% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Medfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.9% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Stow and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $218,946±$34kHighest 111% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$185,809±$22k 79% above MA |
| Medfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $815,300±$46kHighest 45% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,014±$531 14% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,782±$126Lowest about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Medfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±17.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 8% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.8%±6.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Lancaster 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 | #26 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Nashoba |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.