Compare towns
Boylston vs Northborough vs Rowley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boylston has the most affordable homes ($579k median).
Northborough has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k median).
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 | Boylston | Northborough | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948Lowest |
15,750Highest |
6,251 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3 21% above MA |
45±3Lowest 13% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
| Rowley and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±2.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Northborough and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
65.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,962±$28k 36% above MA |
$153,199±$19kHighest 47% above MA |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
| Northborough and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average |
$620,000±$24k 10% above MA |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
| Rowley and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
$1,919±$269 9% above MA |
$1,603±$520Lowest 9% below MA |
| Boylston and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,266Lowest 21% above MA |
$7,983 33% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston and Northborough 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 | #72 of 282 in MA | #35 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro | Triton |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | Algonquin Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Highest |
10.8Lowest |
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| 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.