Compare towns
Rowe vs Russell vs Upton
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).
Russell has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Russell | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 453Lowest |
487 |
8,189Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -12.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4Highest 22% above MA |
45±12.8Lowest 13% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Rowe and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5 MA: 19.4% |
4.5%±8.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Rowe 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% |
19.3%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Rowe and Upton 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% |
29.1% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±10.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Russell 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 |
$106,806±$37k about the MA average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Russell 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 |
$302,800±$39k 46% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576Highest 25% below MA |
$825±$556Lowest 53% below MA |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
| Rowe and Upton 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 |
$4,746 21% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
30.3%±80.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Russell 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% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
6.3%±7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Rowe | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
| 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.