Compare towns
Rowe vs Ashfield vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowe has the most kids (23% under 18).
Ashfield has the most people working from home (24%).
Monroe has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
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 | Rowe | Ashfield | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 453 |
1,893Highest |
122Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.4% MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4Lowest 22% above MA |
58.6±3.4 47% above MA |
60.2±9.9Highest 51% above MA |
| Monroe and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±28 MA: 19.4% |
| Rowe and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±8.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.7%±2.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
31.1%±27.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Ashfield and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2% MA: 47.3% |
52%Highest MA: 47.3% |
19.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 MA: 7.9% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9%±18.5Highest 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 | $69,583±$13kLowest 33% below MA |
$80,833±$16kHighest 22% below MA |
— |
| Ashfield and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,000±$41k 51% below MA |
$400,600±$30kHighest 29% below MA |
$165,000±$141kLowest 71% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576Highest 25% below MA |
$1,100±$200Lowest 38% below MA |
— |
| Rowe and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,458Lowest 76% below MA |
$5,197Highest 13% below MA |
$2,053 66% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100 MA: 51.8% |
62.5%±34Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ashfield and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.8% MA: 10% |
9.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
38.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.5% MA: 62.5% |
75.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 22% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
56 minHighest 93% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
24%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
0%±41.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Rowe | Mohawk Trail | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.