Compare towns
Stow vs Reading vs Cohasset
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%).
Reading has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Cohasset has the most expensive homes ($1319k 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 | Reading | Cohasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165Lowest |
25,612Highest |
8,427 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
43.9±4.4 10% above MA |
| Stow and Cohasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Cohasset and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Reading 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% |
66.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cohasset 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±$22k 79% above MA |
$165,912±$13kLowest 60% above MA |
$199,306±$53kHighest 92% above MA |
| Cohasset and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $729,600±$39kLowest 30% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$1,318,900±$165kHighest 135% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126Lowest about the MA average |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,320Lowest 56% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±15.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Cohasset 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #41 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Reading | Cohasset |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Cohasset High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
9.0Lowest |
| 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.