Compare towns
Stow vs Upton vs Mendon 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%).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Mendon has the shortest commute (30 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 | Upton | Mendon | Cohasset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,165 |
8,189 |
6,325Lowest |
8,427Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
43.9±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
| Upton and Stow 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%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±4.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Cohasset and Upton 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%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.8%±2.8 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% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Cohasset 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 |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$132,256±$33kLowest 27% 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±$39k 30% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
$1,318,900±$165kHighest 135% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$2,755±$399Highest 56% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$7,213Lowest 20% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±15.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 23% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
37 minHighest 28% above MA |
| Work from home | 36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Cohasset 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #41 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton | Cohasset |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Cohasset High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
— | 9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.