Compare towns
Stoneham vs Athol vs Woburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Woburn has the most renters (44.3% 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 | Stoneham | Athol | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355 |
12,011Lowest |
41,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Highest 6% above MA |
41.3±1.9 3% above MA |
39.3±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Stoneham and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Athol and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Stoneham and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Woburn and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,964±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
$69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
$111,185±$9k 7% above MA |
| Stoneham and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $671,900±$26k 20% above MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
$673,500±$17kHighest 20% above MA |
| Woburn and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142 15% above MA |
$1,150±$182Lowest 35% below MA |
$2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
| Woburn and Stoneham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,523Highest 9% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
$5,354 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Athol and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71% MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% below MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #117 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Athol-Royalston | Woburn |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | Athol High | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.6Highest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.