Compare towns
Stow vs Mansfield vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
Mansfield has the most renters (26.9% rent).
Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k 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 | Mansfield | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165Lowest |
23,931Highest |
16,970 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
41.4±1.3Lowest 4% above MA |
44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
| Auburn and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Mansfield and Stow 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% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn 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 MA: 47.3% |
51.1% MA: 47.3% |
45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Mansfield and Auburn 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 |
$125,273±$15k 21% above MA |
$116,711±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$603,500±$28k 7% above MA |
$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,803±$147Highest about the MA average |
$1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
| Mansfield 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 67% above MA |
$7,226 21% above MA |
$5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
26 minLowest 12% below MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Mansfield | Auburn |
| High school in town | None in town | Mansfield High | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.