Compare towns
Rowe vs Stoneham vs Monroe vs Florida
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).
Stoneham has the most people working from home (24.6%).
Monroe has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
Florida has the shortest commute (26 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 | Stoneham | Monroe | Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 453 |
23,355Highest |
122Lowest |
668 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | -7.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4 22% above MA |
42.2±2.2Lowest 6% above MA |
60.2±9.9Highest 51% above MA |
56.1±4.4 40% above MA |
| Monroe and Florida 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% |
20.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±28 MA: 19.4% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowe and Stoneham 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% |
20.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
31.1%±27.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Monroe 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% |
55.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
19.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
9%±18.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Monroe and Stoneham 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 |
$113,964±$10kHighest 10% above MA |
— | $86,875±$17k 16% below MA |
| Stoneham and Florida 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 |
$671,900±$26kHighest 20% above MA |
$165,000±$141kLowest 71% below MA |
$246,800±$19k 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576 25% below MA |
$2,035±$142Highest 15% above MA |
— | $867±$256Lowest 51% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,458Lowest 76% below MA |
$6,523Highest 9% above MA |
$2,053 66% below MA |
$1,894 68% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100 MA: 51.8% |
41.9%±8.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
16.7%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Stoneham and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.8% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
38.5%Highest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8% MA: 62.5% |
71%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
91.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959 5 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 22% above MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
56 minHighest 93% above MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
0%±41.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
6.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #117 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Rowe | Stoneham | — | Florida |
| High school in town | None in town | Stoneham High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7 |
— | — |
| 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.