Compare towns
Boylston vs Ware vs Rowley vs Clinton
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%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k median).
Clinton has the most renters (45.3% 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 | Ware | Rowley | Clinton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,948Lowest |
10,048 |
6,251 |
15,563Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±2.3 21% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
38.6±2.7Lowest 4% 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%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowley and Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Clinton 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±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$89,781±$10k 14% 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
$387,300±$19k 31% 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 |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$1,402±$76 20% 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$4,654 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
40.3%±6.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
54.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 8% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
28 min 3% below MA |
30 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.2%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston and Clinton 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #246 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Ware | Triton | Clinton |
| High school in town | Tahanto Regional High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Clinton Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
11.1Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.