Compare towns
Merrimac vs Stow vs Westminster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Merrimac has the most renters (18.7% rent).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Merrimac | Stow | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,748Lowest |
7,165 |
8,374Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±6.8Highest 24% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
48.3±4.6 21% above MA |
| Merrimac and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Stow and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $123,054±$16k 18% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$106,331±$22kLowest about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $553,400±$38k about the MA average |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Westminster and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,399 23% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,973Lowest 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #188 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | Nashoba | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.6 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.