What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stow has the most expensive homes ($326k median).

Lovell has the highest household income ($81k).

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	Lovell
People
Population	535Lowest	1,353Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-3.2% ME: +2.6%
Median age	57±10.5Highest 27% above ME	52.2±3.5Lowest 17% above ME
	Stow and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1%	15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Stow and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	37.9%±17.8Highest ME: 22.4%	26.5%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Stow and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%	36.1%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8%	6.3%±4.2Highest ME: 5.8%
	Lovell and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$42,204±$22kLowest 44% below ME	$80,625±$20kHighest 8% above ME
	Lovell and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$326,400±$42kHighest 10% above ME	$295,000±$47kLowest about the ME average
	Stow and Lovell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,419±$178 25% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,304Highest 9% above ME	$1,480Lowest 51% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	20%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	45.3%±29.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	Lovell and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.1%Lowest ME: 10.7%	10%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.2%Highest ME: 74.3%	88.9%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME	1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	51 minHighest 109% above ME	31 minLowest 28% above ME
Work from home	17.7%±12Lowest ME: 15.9%	21.8%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Lovell and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	RSU 72/MSAD 72
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

ME 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.