Compare towns
Sherborn vs Upton vs Natick vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sherborn has the highest household income ($250k).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
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 | Sherborn | Upton | Natick | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,427Lowest |
8,189 |
36,873Highest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.3±1.4 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Upton and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 29.2%±4.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Sherborn and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.3%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 82.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.8% MA: 47.3% |
75.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Natick and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$138,538±$11kLowest 33% above MA |
$185,809±$22k 79% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,026,800±$72kHighest 83% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$821,000±$25k 46% above MA |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$316Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,134±$124 21% above MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
| Sherborn and Natick 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 |
$8,376Lowest 40% above MA |
$8,914 49% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48%±26.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 21% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 49.1%±7.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Sherborn 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 | #53 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Sherborn | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Natick | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Natick High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.6Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.