Compare towns
Boylston vs Rowley vs Worcester
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 people working from home (22.7%).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k median).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
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 | Rowley | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,948Lowest |
6,251 |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3 21% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below 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% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Worcester 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% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
| Boylston and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $578,600±$47k about the MA average |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Rowley and Boylston 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 |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
| Boylston and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,266 21% above MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2% MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 8% below MA |
28 minHighest 3% below MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #72 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Triton | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | None in town | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| 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.