Compare towns
Rowley vs Pelham vs Whately
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($615k median).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
Whately has the most homeowners (88.2%).
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 | Rowley | Pelham | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,708Highest |
1,335Lowest |
1,499 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.3±16.7 16% above MA |
45±8.4Lowest 13% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
| Whately and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±6.9 MA: 19.4% |
21%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Pelham and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham and Whately 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% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Whately 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 |
$113,750±$24k 9% above MA |
$116,563±$15kHighest 12% above MA |
| Whately and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $614,800±$39kHighest 9% above MA |
$447,600±$33k 20% below MA |
$431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,663±$674Highest 6% below MA |
$1,205±$560 32% below MA |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
| Rowley and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,865 15% above MA |
$7,472Highest 25% above MA |
$5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±45.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2 MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.1% MA: 10% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.1% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 15% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Pelham and Whately 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 | #214 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Pelham | 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.