Compare towns
Peru vs Upton vs Sandisfield vs Rowe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the oldest population (median age 52.6).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Rowe has the oldest housing (typical home built 1959).
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 | Peru | Upton | Sandisfield | Rowe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 630 |
8,189Highest |
994 |
453Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 52.6±4.8Highest 32% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
49.9±7.5 25% above MA |
48.9±6.4 22% above MA |
| Peru and Sandisfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14%±2.9Lowest 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+ | 29.7%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28%±5.6 MA: 17.9% |
30.2%±8.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowe and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
26%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
26.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.8%±4.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Sandisfield and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $90,750±$18k 13% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$91,111±$23k 12% below MA |
$69,583±$13kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$360,300±$34k 36% below MA |
$275,000±$41k 51% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,250±$220 29% below MA |
$1,313±$576Highest 25% below MA |
| Rowe and Sandisfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,805 36% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,328 44% below MA |
$1,458Lowest 76% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Sandisfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
15.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96.4% MA: 62.5% |
90.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
36 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.5%±8 MA: 18.6% |
7.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Sandisfield 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.