Compare towns
Rowe vs Whately vs Peru
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).
Whately has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Peru has the most homeowners (98.2%).
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 | Whately | Peru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 453Lowest |
1,499Highest |
630 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4Lowest 22% above MA |
49.3±6.7 23% above MA |
52.6±4.8Highest 32% above MA |
| Peru and Whately 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% |
16.4%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
16.3%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowe and Whately 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% |
24.5%±6.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.7%±6.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Rowe and Peru 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% |
47.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
28% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±2 MA: 7.9% |
| Rowe and Peru 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 |
$116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
$90,750±$18k 13% below MA |
| Whately and Peru 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 |
$431,500±$22kHighest 23% below MA |
$267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576Highest 25% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
— |
| Rowe and Whately 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 |
$5,027Highest 16% below MA |
$3,805 36% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100 MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Highest MA: 51.8% |
0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Whately and Rowe 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% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 22% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Whately and Peru are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Rowe | Whately | — |
| High school in town | None 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.