Town comparison · Massachusetts

Boxborough vs Stow

Central MA · Central MA

Even split (2–2) on headline livability metrics

On the six headline livability metrics, Boxborough and Stow split the table evenly. This is a real tradeoff, not a ranking. Median home prices are close, within $23k of each other.

The two towns at a glance

Boxborough

Central MA · pop. 5,511

Boxborough is the best-kept secret in the Acton-Boxborough school district: same A+ schools as Acton, lower population density, and lower home prices. The Acton MBTA station is a 10-minute drive, making Boston accessible without paying Acton prices.

Default fit score

equal weights, 0–100

Full Boxborough profile →

Stow

Central MA · pop. 7,215

Stow sits between Bolton and Acton at the heart of the Nashoba Valley wine and apple country, with high incomes, low density, and Assabet River trail access. The Nashoba district schools serve the town and attract families who want rural character with Route 117 proximity.

Default fit score

equal weights, 0–100

Full Stow profile →

Head-to-head: every metric

	Boxborough	Stow
Headline
Livability index	56 ✦	54
Economics
Median home	$781k	$804k ✦
Household income	$145k	$178k ✦
Price ÷ income	5.4× ✦	4.5×
Tax burden	61	61
Schools & Safety
Schools	92 ✦	85
Safety	92	92
Getting around
Commute to Boston	48 min	52 min ✦
Walkability	12	12
Transit	10 ✦	8
Biking	28	30 ✦
Lifestyle
Dining	25	28 ✦
Nightlife	18	20 ✦
Arts & culture	22	25 ✦
Green space	55	55
Community
Diversity	42 ✦	25
Climate	71	71
5-yr trend	70	72 ✦

Clay = wins this metric. Direction matters: lower median home and shorter commute are better; everything else, higher is better.

Compare on your terms

These winners are based on a neutral, equal weighting of every metric. Your priorities are not neutral. Open Boxborough vs Stow in the interactive atlas to tune schools, walkability, affordability, commute, and seven more dimensions, and watch the verdict change.

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About this comparison

Bay State Atlas ranks 194 Massachusetts towns using public data (Census ACS, MA DESE schools, Walk Score, MA Department of Revenue tax data, and the FBI UCR safety index) normalized to 0–100. Every weight is editable. This page is a static, indexable snapshot. The live tool is faster and lets you customize what counts.