Compare towns
Topsfield vs Plainville vs Stow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsfield has the most expensive homes ($853k median).
Plainville has the most affordable homes ($254k 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 | Plainville | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,564Lowest |
17,551Highest |
7,165 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±1.8Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.3±1.5Highest 14% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
| Plainville and Stow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.8%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.3%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.1%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Topsfield and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 71.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
30%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville 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 142% above U.S. |
$84,343±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
$185,809±$22k 130% above U.S. |
| 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 157% above U.S. |
$254,000±$14kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$729,600±$39k 119% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,115±$538Lowest 21% below U.S. |
$1,126±$147 20% below U.S. |
$1,782±$126Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,798Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.9%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±44.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
6.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.4%±8.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±6.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #89 of 149 in CT | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Topsfield | Judicial Centers · Plainville School District | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | Plainville High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.