Compare towns
Deerfield vs Rowley vs Merrimac
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the most people working from home (17.5%).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k median).
Merrimac has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Deerfield | Rowley | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
6,251 |
6,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
50±6.3 25% above MA |
49.4±6.8Lowest 24% above MA |
| Deerfield and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Rowley and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Merrimac and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14kLowest about the MA average |
$132,734±$32kHighest 28% above MA |
$123,054±$16k 18% above MA |
| Rowley and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37kLowest 26% below MA |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
$553,400±$38k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318Lowest 24% below MA |
$1,603±$520Highest 9% below MA |
$1,352±$325 23% below MA |
| Rowley and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824Lowest about the MA average |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$7,399 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Merrimac and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
32 minHighest 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4 MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Deerfield and Rowley 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 | #156 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Triton | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.