Compare towns
Rowe vs Upton vs Heath vs Sandisfield
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).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Sandisfield has the shortest commute (31 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 | Upton | Heath | Sandisfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 453Lowest |
8,189Highest |
765 |
994 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4 22% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
49.9±7.5 25% above MA |
| Heath and Sandisfield 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
14%±2.9 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%±8.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
28%±5.6 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.8% MA: 47.3% |
26%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
7.8%±4.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Sandisfield 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$98,750±$23k 5% below MA |
$91,111±$23k 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,000±$41kLowest 51% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$295,000±$45k 48% below MA |
$360,300±$34k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576Highest 25% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
— | $1,250±$220 29% below MA |
| Rowe and Sandisfield 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,438 26% below MA |
$3,328 44% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Sandisfield and Upton 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% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
96.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
31 minLowest 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.5%±8 MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Upton 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 | — | #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 | 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.