Compare towns
Rowe vs Northbridge 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 affordable homes ($275k median).
Northbridge has the most people working from home (16.2%).
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 | Northbridge | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 453Lowest |
16,458Highest |
752 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4Highest 22% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
47.1±11.1 18% above MA |
| Rowe and Hancock 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% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowe and Northbridge 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Rowe and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±3.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge 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±$13kLowest 33% below MA |
$111,319±$19kHighest 7% above MA |
$96,250±$26k 7% below MA |
| Northbridge and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,000±$41kLowest 51% below MA |
$448,600±$15kHighest 20% below MA |
$375,500±$21k 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576Highest 25% below MA |
$1,207±$102Lowest 31% 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 |
$4,821Highest 20% below MA |
$1,018Lowest 83% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±36.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Northbridge and Hancock 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% |
7.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
22 minLowest 25% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Northbridge 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 | — | #226 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Rowe | Northbridge | Hancock |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8 |
— |
| 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.