Compare towns
Stow vs Lawrence vs Cohasset
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%).
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Cohasset has the most expensive homes ($1319k median).
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 | Lawrence | Cohasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165Lowest |
88,736Highest |
8,427 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
43.9±4.4 10% above MA |
| Stow and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Cohasset and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.8%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Stow and Cohasset 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% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $185,809±$22k 79% above MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$199,306±$53kHighest 92% above MA |
| Cohasset and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
$415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$1,318,900±$165kHighest 135% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,662±$50Lowest 6% below MA |
$2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±15.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Cohasset 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | #41 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Lawrence | Cohasset |
| High school in town | None in town | Lawrence High School | Cohasset High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.