What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).

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	Plainville
People
Population	7,165Lowest	9,943Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA	43.2±3.6Lowest 8% above MA
	Stow and Plainville 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%	18.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Stow and Plainville 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%	22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9%
	Plainville 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%	44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.3%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9%
	Plainville 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	$104,106±$13kLowest about the MA average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA	$476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,782±$126Lowest about the MA average	$1,977±$197Highest 12% above MA
	Plainville 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	$5,329Lowest 11% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8%	53.8%±13.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Stow and Plainville 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%	7.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	70.4%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA	1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 23% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6%	17.9%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#44 of 282 in MA	#102 of 282 in MA
School district	Nashoba	Plainville
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.