Compare towns
Rowe vs Townsend 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).
Townsend has the most expensive homes ($433k median).
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 | Townsend | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 453Lowest |
9,100Highest |
765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4 22% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
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% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowe and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend 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 |
$121,528±$23kHighest 17% above MA |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
| Townsend and Heath 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 |
$433,200±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$295,000±$45k 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576Lowest 25% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
— |
| Townsend and Rowe 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 |
$6,031Highest about the MA average |
$4,438 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Townsend and Heath 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% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
6.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
35 minLowest 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Rowe | North Middlesex | — |
| High school in town | None in town | North Middlesex Regional | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| 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.