Compare towns
Stow vs Smithfield vs Hudson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Smithfield has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Hudson has the most renters (26.8% rent).
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 | Smithfield | Hudson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165Lowest |
22,233Highest |
20,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Highest 13% above U.S. |
41.8±2.6Lowest 7% above U.S. |
42.9±1.7 10% above U.S. |
| Stow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.3%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.3%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Stow and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Smithfield and Hudson 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
40%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
16.7%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $185,809±$22kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$102,077±$8kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$103,400±$13k 28% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $729,600±$39kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$446,400±$12kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$496,800±$22k 49% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126Highest 26% above U.S. |
$1,016±$241Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,406±$82 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,207Lowest 67% above U.S. |
$6,892 121% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±17.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.8%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stow and Smithfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.6%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #44 of 282 in MA | #8 of 38 in RI | #224 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Smithfield | Hudson |
| High school in town | None in town | Smithfield High School | Hudson High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Highest |
10.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.