What stands out worked out from the figures below

Seabrook has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Seabrook	Stow
People
Population	8,427Highest	7,165Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	54±1.9Highest 39% above U.S.	44.1±4.4Lowest 13% above U.S.
Kids under 18	14.8%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	31.5%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Stow and Seabrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,349±$15kLowest 4% above U.S.	$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$443,500±$40kLowest 33% above U.S.	$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,542±$174Lowest 9% above U.S.	$1,782±$126Highest 26% above U.S.
	Stow and Seabrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,785Lowest 85% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.4%±10Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Stow and Seabrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.	1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 21% below U.S.	36 minHighest 35% above U.S.
Work from home	10.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#114 of 120 in NH	#44 of 282 in MA
School district	Seabrook School District	Nashoba
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.