What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).

Marion has the oldest population (median age 53.8).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Stow	Marion
People
Population	7,165Highest	5,310Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA	53.8±4Highest 35% above MA
Kids under 18	22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4%	16.7%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Stow and Marion 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%	27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9%
	Marion 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%	46.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Marion and Stow 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	$143,092±$30kLowest 38% above MA
	Stow and Marion 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	$653,500±$47kLowest 16% above MA
	Stow and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average	$1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA
	Stow and Marion 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	$5,766Lowest 4% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.7%±44.2Lowest MA: 51.8%	75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8%
	Marion and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Lowest MA: 10%	9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%	90.8%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA	1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 23% above MA	34 minLowest 15% above MA
Work from home	36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6%	20.1%±8.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#44 of 282 in MA	#141 of 282 in MA
School district	Nashoba	Marion
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.