Compare towns
Topsfield vs Wenham 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 kids (24.8% under 18).
Wenham has the youngest population (median age 29.3).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Wenham is a college town. 27.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Wenham | Stow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,564 |
4,929Lowest |
7,165Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.2±1.8 6% above MA |
29.3±9.3Lowest 27% below MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Stow and Topsfield 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% |
18.9%±3.3Lowest 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% |
14.6%±3Lowest 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% |
70.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
27.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $195,718±$16kHighest 88% above MA |
$194,781±$33k 87% above MA |
$185,809±$22kLowest 79% above MA |
| Topsfield and Wenham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $853,400±$40k 52% above MA |
$885,400±$48kHighest 58% above MA |
$729,600±$39kLowest 30% above MA |
| Wenham and Topsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,115±$538Lowest 37% below MA |
— | $1,782±$126Highest about the MA average |
| 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 | 41.9%±40.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
43.3%±20.8 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Wenham 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% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 5 yrs newer than MA |
1961Lowest 3 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.4%±8.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.4%±5.6Lowest 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 | #74 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Topsfield | Hamilton-Wenham | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.