Compare towns
Monroe vs Upton vs Hawley vs Rowe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Monroe has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Hawley has the shortest commute (31 min average).
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 | Monroe | Upton | Hawley | Rowe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 122Lowest |
8,189Highest |
277 |
453 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 60.2±9.9Highest 51% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
56.8±7.2 42% above MA |
48.9±6.4 22% above MA |
| Monroe and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±28Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.7%±10 MA: 19.4% |
23%±5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.1%±27.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
37.2%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
30.2%±8.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Hawley and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
39.4% MA: 47.3% |
26.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±18.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.2%±5.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Monroe and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | — | $155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$87,500±$26k 16% below MA |
$69,583±$13kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $165,000±$141kLowest 71% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$309,600±$38k 45% below MA |
$275,000±$41k 51% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
— | $1,313±$576Highest 25% below MA |
| Rowe and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,053 66% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,097 32% below MA |
$1,458Lowest 76% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
50%±100 MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Hawley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 38.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
15.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
94%Highest MA: 62.5% |
90.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 56 minHighest 93% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
31 minLowest 6% above MA |
36 min 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 0%±41.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±12.6 MA: 18.6% |
7.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Hawley 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Rowe |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.