Compare towns
Rowe vs Braintree vs Monroe vs Peru
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowe has the most kids (23% under 18).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
Monroe has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
Peru has the most homeowners (98.2%).
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 | Rowe | Braintree | Monroe | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 453 |
1,026Highest |
122Lowest |
630 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4Lowest 26% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4 50% above U.S. |
60.2±9.9Highest 55% above U.S. |
52.6±4.8 35% above U.S. |
| Monroe and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±28 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Rowe and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±27.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Braintree 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9%±18.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 14% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
— | $90,750±$18kHighest 12% above U.S. |
| Peru and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,000±$41kHighest 17% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28k 35% below U.S. |
$165,000±$141kLowest 50% below U.S. |
$267,400±$15k 20% below U.S. |
| Rowe and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576Highest 7% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
— | — |
| Rowe and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,458Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$3,908Highest 25% above U.S. |
$2,053 34% below U.S. |
$3,805 22% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Braintree and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
38.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 35% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
56 minHighest 113% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
0%±41.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Rowe | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.