Compare towns
Rowe vs Gardner vs Peru vs Hancock
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).
Gardner has the most renters (41.1% rent).
Peru has the most homeowners (98.2%).
Hancock has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Gardner | Peru | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 453Lowest |
21,148Highest |
630 |
752 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4 22% above MA |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% above MA |
52.6±4.8Highest 32% above MA |
47.1±11.1 18% above MA |
| Peru and Rowe 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% |
18.3%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±4.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Rowe and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±8.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.7%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.3 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+ | 26.2% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
28% MA: 47.3% |
35.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±3.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,583±$13k 33% below MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$90,750±$18k 13% below MA |
$96,250±$26kHighest 7% below MA |
| Hancock and Peru 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 |
$301,600±$20k 46% below MA |
$267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA |
$375,500±$21kHighest 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576Highest 25% below MA |
$1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
— | $1,268±$415 28% below MA |
| Rowe and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,458 76% below MA |
$4,150Highest 31% below MA |
$3,805 36% below MA |
$1,018Lowest 83% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±36.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hancock and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.8%Highest MA: 10% |
13.7% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1983 19 yrs newer than MA |
1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
22 minLowest 25% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Gardner and Hancock 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 | — | #273 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Rowe | Gardner | — | Hancock |
| High school in town | None in town | Gardner High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.