Compare towns
Stow vs Northbridge
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%).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k 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 | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 7,165Lowest |
16,458Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
| Stow and Northbridge 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% |
21.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Stow and Northbridge 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Stow and Northbridge 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% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge 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 |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Northbridge 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% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Northbridge |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8 |
| 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.