Compare towns
Stow vs Middleton 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%).
Middleton has the most homeowners (92.7%).
Boxborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
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 | Middleton | Boxborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165 |
9,816Highest |
5,496Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
42.7±1.6Lowest 7% above MA |
| Stow and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±3Lowest 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%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Stow and Middleton 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% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
6.1%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Boxborough and Middleton 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 |
$167,402±$29k 61% above MA |
$144,611±$35kLowest 39% above MA |
| Stow and Middleton 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 |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$706,900±$72kLowest 26% above MA |
| Middleton and Stow 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 |
$1,407±$284Lowest 20% 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 |
$8,785Lowest 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±22.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Boxborough 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% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1986 22 yrs newer than MA |
1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 282 in MA | #71 of 282 in MA | #31 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Middleton | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.