Compare towns
Rowley vs Needham vs Rowley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
Bordering RowleyIpswich
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowley has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Needham has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Rowley has the oldest population (median age 50).
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 | Rowley | Needham | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,708Lowest |
32,459Highest |
6,251 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.3±16.7 16% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
| Rowley and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±6.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.3% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,622±$17kLowest 5% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $614,800±$39kLowest 9% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,663±$674 6% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,603±$520Lowest 9% below MA |
| Needham and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,865Lowest 15% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±45.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 15% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
28 minHighest 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #214 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | — | Triton |
| 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.