Compare towns
Stow vs Lexington vs Hamilton
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 homeowners (85.4%).
Lexington has the most expensive homes ($1203k median).
Hamilton has the youngest population (median age 43.5).
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 | Lexington | Hamilton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165Lowest |
34,295Highest |
7,600 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+9.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
47.3±0.8Highest 18% above MA |
43.5±2.1Lowest 9% above MA |
| Lexington and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25.5%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
24%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Lexington and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.7%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Hamilton and Lexington 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% |
84.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
68.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $185,809±$22k 79% above MA |
$238,444±$18kHighest 129% above MA |
$129,833±$14kLowest 25% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
$1,203,100±$35kHighest 114% above MA |
$720,000±$36kLowest 28% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126Lowest about the MA average |
$2,891±$233Highest 64% above MA |
$1,794±$394 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±7.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
65.8%±23.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hamilton 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% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
36.7%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±5.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lexington and Stow 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 | #2 of 282 in MA | #36 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Lexington | Hamilton-Wenham |
| High school in town | None in town | Lexington High | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
11.8Highest |
| 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.