Compare towns
Rowe vs Orange vs Heath
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).
Orange has the most renters (30% rent).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
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 | Orange | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 453Lowest |
7,573Highest |
765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4 22% above MA |
41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
| Heath 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% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowe and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±8.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Heath and Rowe 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% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,583±$13k 33% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$98,750±$23kHighest 5% below MA |
| Heath 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 |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$295,000±$45kHighest 48% below MA |
| Heath and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576Highest 25% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
— |
| Rowe and Orange 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 |
$4,136 31% below MA |
$4,438Highest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Orange and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.8% MA: 10% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #275 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Rowe | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0 |
— |
| 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.