Compare towns
Sudbury vs Stow vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sudbury has the most expensive homes ($989k median).
Stow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.9%).
Sharon has the oldest housing (typical home built 1970).
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 | Sudbury | Stow | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,306Highest |
7,165Lowest |
18,574 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.1Lowest 6% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
42.5±1 6% above MA |
| Stow and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.5%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.2%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Sudbury and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±1.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±2.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Stow and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 83.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
76.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Sharon and Sudbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $236,250±$17kHighest 127% above MA |
$185,809±$22kLowest 79% above MA |
$191,835±$19k 85% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $988,900±$42kHighest 76% above MA |
$729,600±$39kLowest 30% above MA |
$737,100±$33k 31% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,445±$895Lowest 18% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$2,310±$345Highest 31% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
$10,000+ at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
49%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minLowest 19% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
39 minHighest 33% above MA |
| Work from home | 33%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
31.5%±4.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Sudbury 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 | #15 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #23 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lincoln-Sudbury · Sudbury | Nashoba | Sharon |
| High school in town | Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High | None in town | Sharon High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
| 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.