Compare towns
Medfield vs Ware 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).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k 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 | Ware | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,849Lowest |
10,048Highest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.7±5.4Highest 14% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Ware and Stow 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,014±$531Highest 14% above MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
| Medfield and Stow 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±17.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1% MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 8% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 32.8%±6.5 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Medfield 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Ware | Nashoba |
| High school in town | — | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.