Compare towns
Topsfield vs Middleton 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 most expensive homes ($853k median).
Middleton has the most homeowners (92.7%).
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 | Middleton | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,564Lowest |
9,816Highest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±1.8Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±2 8% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Stow and Middleton 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% |
17.2%±3Lowest 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% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Topsfield and Stow 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% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Middleton 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 |
$167,402±$29kLowest 61% 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 |
$742,700±$48k 32% above MA |
$729,600±$39kLowest 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
| Stow and Middleton 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 |
$8,785Lowest 47% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Topsfield 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% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4% MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.4%±8.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Topsfield | Middleton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.