Compare towns
Newbury vs Reading vs Rowley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newbury has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
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 | Newbury | Reading | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,777 |
25,612Highest |
6,251Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.1±4.8Highest 38% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
50±6.3 25% above MA |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Reading and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.1% MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $174,868±$59kHighest 68% above MA |
$165,912±$13k 60% above MA |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
| Newbury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $840,600±$40kHighest 50% above MA |
$809,000±$22k 44% above MA |
$667,300±$52kLowest 19% above MA |
| Newbury and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,806±$1k about the MA average |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
$1,603±$520Lowest 9% below MA |
| Reading and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,661Lowest 11% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53%±26.7 MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
81.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
31 minHighest 6% above MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.5%±6 MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Newbury 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 | #137 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Reading | Triton |
| High school in town | Triton Regional High School | Reading Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
12.1Highest |
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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.