What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Stow	Washburn
People
Population	535Lowest	1,355Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	-9.5% ME: +2.6%
Median age	57±10.5Highest 27% above ME	48.2±7.7Lowest 8% above ME
	Stow and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.7%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	21.7%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1%
	Washburn and Stow 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%	24%±3.7Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Stow and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	33.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	26%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.6%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8%
	Washburn 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	$56,196±$6kHighest 25% below ME
	Washburn 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	$112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$482±$62 58% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,304Highest 9% above ME	$1,571Lowest 48% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	20%±100Lowest ME: 48.4%	33.3%±24.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Washburn 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%	12.7%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.2%Highest ME: 74.3%	78.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1998Highest 21 yrs newer than ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	51 minHighest 109% above ME	21 minLowest 15% below ME
Work from home	17.7%±12Highest ME: 15.9%	9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Stow and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	—	RSU 45/MSAD 45
High school in town	—	Washburn District High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	12.0
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.