Compare towns
Stow vs Brunswick vs Maynard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Brunswick has the most affordable homes ($376k median).
Maynard has the oldest population (median age 45.3).
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 | Stow | Brunswick | Maynard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165Lowest |
22,336Highest |
10,712 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
40±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
45.3±4.3Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Maynard and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stow and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brunswick and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$74,952±$6kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$124,067±$16k 54% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$376,300±$15kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$527,400±$31k 59% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126 26% above U.S. |
$1,469±$99Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,800±$148Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Maynard and Stow 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 221% above U.S. |
$4,756Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$8,266 165% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±7.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stow and Maynard 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 | #44 of 282 in MA | #30 of 133 in ME | #166 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Brunswick High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.