What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stoddard has the most affordable homes ($330k median).

Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).

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	Stoddard	Stow
People
Population	1,072Lowest	7,165Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+8.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	53±4Highest 36% above U.S.	44.1±4.4Lowest 13% above U.S.
Kids under 18	17.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22%
	Stow and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Stoddard and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.7%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Stow and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,904±$11kLowest 18% above U.S.	$185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$330,300±$20kLowest about the U.S. average	$729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$895±$751Lowest 37% below U.S.	$1,782±$126Highest 26% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,316Lowest 38% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.6%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Stow and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	85.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S.	1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minLowest 27% above U.S.	36 minHighest 35% above U.S.
Work from home	9.5%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#44 of 282 in MA
School district	Stoddard 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.