Compare towns
Stow vs Dedham vs Boxborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Dedham has the most affordable homes ($662k median).
Boxborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
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 | Dedham | Boxborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165 |
25,237Highest |
5,496Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
44.6±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
42.7±1.6Lowest 7% above MA |
| Dedham 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 MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20%±4.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Dedham 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% MA: 47.3% |
55%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Boxborough and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$128,955±$10kLowest 24% above MA |
$144,611±$35k 39% above MA |
| Stow and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$661,800±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
$706,900±$72k 26% above MA |
| Stow and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126Lowest about the MA average |
$2,042±$182Highest 16% above MA |
$1,887±$173 7% above MA |
| Dedham and Boxborough 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 |
$7,918Lowest 32% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±10 MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±22.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
5.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 282 in MA | #119 of 282 in MA | #31 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Dedham | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.