Compare towns
Rowe vs Ware vs Monroe
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 homeowners (90.8%).
Ware has the most people working from home (16.6%).
Monroe has the most affordable homes ($165k median).
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 | Ware | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 453 |
6,369Highest |
122Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.6% MA: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4 22% above MA |
39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
60.2±9.9Highest 51% above MA |
| Monroe and Rowe 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% |
23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±28Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware 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% |
17.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
31.1%±27.3Highest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
19.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
9%±18.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Monroe and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,583±$13kHighest 33% below MA |
$45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
— |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,000±$41kHighest 51% below MA |
$253,400±$31k 55% below MA |
$165,000±$141kLowest 71% below MA |
| Rowe and Ware 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 |
$1,039±$104Lowest 41% below MA |
— |
| Rowe and Ware 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 |
$3,408Highest 43% below MA |
$2,053 66% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100 MA: 51.8% |
64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.8% MA: 10% |
14.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
38.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Highest 5 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 min 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
56 minHighest 93% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
16.6%±5Highest MA: 18.6% |
0%±41.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #267 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Rowe | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.