Compare towns
Topsfield vs Hanson vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsfield has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Hanson has the most affordable homes ($534k median).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Topsfield | Hanson | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,564Lowest |
10,660Highest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±1.8Lowest 6% above MA |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Stow and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.8%±4.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Topsfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.4%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.8% MA: 47.3% |
42.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Hanson and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $195,718±$16kHighest 88% above MA |
$132,200±$10kLowest 27% above MA |
$185,809±$22k 79% above MA |
| Topsfield and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $853,400±$40kHighest 52% above MA |
$533,900±$36kLowest 5% below MA |
$729,600±$39k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
| Hanson 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 |
$6,402Lowest 7% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
89% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.4%±8.1 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Topsfield 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 | #172 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Topsfield | Whitman-Hanson | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.7 |
— |
| 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.