Compare towns
Stow vs Natick vs Maynard
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%).
Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).
Maynard has the most affordable homes ($527k 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 | Natick | Maynard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165Lowest |
36,873Highest |
10,712 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
43.3±1.4Lowest 8% above MA |
45.3±4.3Highest 13% above MA |
| Maynard and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Natick 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% |
20.4%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Natick 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% |
70.8% MA: 47.3% |
64.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Natick 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 |
$138,538±$11k 33% above MA |
$124,067±$16kLowest 19% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
$821,000±$25kHighest 46% above MA |
$527,400±$31kLowest 6% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126Lowest about the MA average |
$2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,914 49% above MA |
$8,266Lowest 38% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Maynard 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% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.1%±1.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 282 in MA | #48 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Natick | Maynard |
| High school in town | None in town | Natick High | Maynard High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
9.7Lowest |
| 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.