Compare towns
Rowley vs Wakefield vs Pelham
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 oldest population (median age 46.3).
Wakefield has the highest household income ($134k).
Pelham has the most people working from home (32.8%).
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 | Wakefield | Pelham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,708 |
27,793Highest |
1,335Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.3±16.7Highest 16% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
45±8.4 13% above MA |
| Rowley and Pelham 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% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
21%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Pelham and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±4.8 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Pelham 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
2%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Wakefield 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 |
$134,306±$14kHighest 29% above MA |
$113,750±$24k 9% above MA |
| Wakefield 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±$39k 9% above MA |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$447,600±$33kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,663±$674 6% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,205±$560Lowest 32% below MA |
| Wakefield 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 |
$7,779Highest 30% above MA |
$7,472 25% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.3%±45.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
42.7%±35.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.1% MA: 10% |
4.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.6% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1958Highest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 15% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
32.8%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Pelham and Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | — | Pelham |
| 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.