Compare towns
Oakham vs Rowley vs Upton vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oakham has the most homeowners (91.6%).
Rowley has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Barre has the most renters (24.2% 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 | Oakham | Rowley | Upton | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,639Lowest |
6,251 |
8,189Highest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±2.3 23% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
| Rowley and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,000±$20kLowest about the MA average |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
| Upton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,100±$20k 25% below MA |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$394,300±$55kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$81 33% below MA |
$1,603±$520Highest 9% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,030±$713 42% below MA |
| Rowley and Oakham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,103Lowest 32% below MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,163 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.8%±69.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
8.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 32% above MA |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 9.6%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #214 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Quabbin | Triton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Quabbin |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| 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.