Compare towns
Stoneham vs Boston 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 homeowners (71%).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Woburn has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Boston | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,355Lowest |
666,442Highest |
41,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% MA: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±2.2Highest 6% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
39.3±1.6 about the MA average |
| Stoneham and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Stoneham and Woburn 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% |
13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
46.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $113,964±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% 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±$26kLowest 20% above MA |
$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA |
$673,500±$17k 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,035±$142Lowest 15% above MA |
$2,147±$25 22% above MA |
$2,221±$77Highest 26% above MA |
| Woburn and Boston 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 |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$5,354 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±8.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Woburn and Boston 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% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 same as MA |
1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
30 minHighest 4% above MA |
25 minLowest 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5 MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Stoneham and Boston 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 | #117 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Stoneham | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Woburn |
| High school in town | Stoneham High | Boston Latin School | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
18.7Highest |
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.