Compare towns
Stow vs Marion 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%).
Marion has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
Boxborough has the most renters (26.6% rent).
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 | Marion | Boxborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165Highest |
5,310Lowest |
5,496 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9% MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
42.7±1.6Lowest 7% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7Lowest 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% |
27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.2%±4.4Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
46.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±3.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Marion and Boxborough 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 |
$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 |
$653,500±$47kLowest 16% 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±$126 about the MA average |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
$1,887±$173Highest 7% above MA |
| Boxborough 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 |
$5,766Lowest 4% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±22.7Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3 MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±6.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA | #31 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Marion | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.