Compare towns
Northampton vs Ogunquit vs Stow vs Watertown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northampton has the most affordable homes ($430k median).
Ogunquit has the oldest population (median age 62.8).
Stow has the highest household income ($186k).
Watertown has the most renters (52.3% rent).
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 | Northampton | Ogunquit | Stow | Watertown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 30,962 |
1,379Lowest |
7,165 |
35,543Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.3±2.2 6% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
39.4±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,288±$6kLowest about the U.S. average |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$126,265±$6k 56% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,700±$17kLowest 29% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$729,600±$39k 119% above U.S. |
$784,600±$31k 136% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$75Lowest about the U.S. average |
— | $1,782±$126 26% above U.S. |
$2,502±$107Highest 77% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,680 82% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,799 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±6.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.7%±5.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
47.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Stow 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 | #159 of 282 in MA | — | #44 of 282 in MA | #171 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | — | Nashoba | Watertown |
| High school in town | Northampton High | — | None in town | Watertown High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
— | — | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.