Bolton vs Stow
marks the Massachusetts median on each scale. The better of the two is picked out where the gap is big enough to call; where neither is, they are level.
Bolton and Stow are not two school districts that happen to look alike — they are one. Both are Nashoba, down to the same elementary buildings, so every school figure on this page is identical for the two. Schools cannot decide this one, which makes everything below the whole of it.
Stow is about 8 minutes closer to downtown Boston at peak. Over a decade of commuting that gap is worth more than most people price it at.
Choose Bolton if you prefer the town itself — the numbers do not separate them.
All Bolton numbers →Choose Stow if you want the lower price, or the commute matters most.
All Stow numbers →Side by side
Some rows have no better. Town character describes a place rather than ranking it, and per-pupil spending tracks need rather than results, so neither is picked out.
SchoolsEven, 1 each of 10
| Bolton | Stow | |
|---|---|---|
| School tier | strong schoolsT2 | strong schoolsT2 |
| MCAS achievement | 82nd | 82nd |
| Student growth | 54th | 54th |
| Graduation rate | 94.2% | 94.2% |
| Niche district rank | 49th of 236 | 49th of 236 |
| SchoolDigger rank | 45th of 361 | 59th of 361 |
| State accountability | Moderate progress toward targets | Moderate progress toward targets |
| Spending per pupil | $21,722 | $21,722 |
| Schools in the district | 5 | 5 |
| Private schools within 12 mi | 7 | 15 |
What a home costsLevel across all 6
| Bolton | Stow | |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR house | $950kT3 | $950kT3 |
| 3BR townhouse | $720k | $720k |
| 2BR condo | $535k | $535k |
| 3BR rent | $2,993/mo | $3,080/mo |
| Income needed for the 4BR | $269k | $269k |
| 10-year price growth | 5.6% a year | 5.3% a year |
What you pay the townLevel across all 4
| Bolton | Stow | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax rate | $16.50T4 | $16.50T4 |
| Est. tax bill on that 4BR | ≈$15,700 | ≈$15,700 |
| Town spending per resident | $5,324 | $5,176 |
| Share of budget on schools | 67% | 63% |
Getting to workStow ahead on 2 of 3
| Bolton | Stow | |
|---|---|---|
| Commute to Boston | 65 minT4 | 57 minT3 |
| MBTA rail | No MBTA rail | No MBTA rail |
| Miles from downtown | 28 mi | 23 mi |
What the place is likeDescribes the two, does not rank them
| Bolton | Stow | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,665 | 7,174 |
| Energy | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Compact center | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Family amenities | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Culture | 4/10 | 4/10 |
| Gathering places | 6/10 | 6/10 |
The tax bill is each town’s own rate on its own median 4BR, so a lower rate does not always mean a lower bill. School tiers are editorial, shown beside the state’s own MCAS figures rather than derived from them.
Prices calibrated to Zillow ZHVI and Redfin · FY2026 residential tax rates · rail leg from the MBTA timetable, drive modeled · rents are HUD FY2026 Small Area FMRs · reviewed · methodology. Never uses demographics as an input.
