Compare towns
Stow vs Upton vs Acton
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 highest household income ($186k).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Acton has the most renters (25.1% 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 | Upton | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,165Lowest |
8,189 |
24,155Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
| Upton and Acton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton 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% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Acton 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 |
$155,508±$33kLowest 50% above MA |
$158,230±$14k 52% above MA |
| Stow and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
| Acton 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 |
$8,376Lowest 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Upton 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%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
35 minLowest 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Acton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.