Compare towns
Rowley vs Fairhaven vs Newbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Fairhaven has the most affordable homes ($447k median).
Newbury has the most people working from home (21.5%).
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 | Fairhaven | Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
15,903Highest |
6,777 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+0.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3 25% above MA |
48.5±3.4Lowest 21% above MA |
55.1±4.8Highest 38% above MA |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Rowley and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
26.5%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Newbury and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.8% MA: 47.3% |
32.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
60.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$95,965±$19kLowest 8% below MA |
$174,868±$59kHighest 68% above MA |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
$446,700±$19kLowest 21% below MA |
$840,600±$40kHighest 50% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$1,118±$79Lowest 37% below MA |
$1,806±$1kHighest about the MA average |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
$6,661 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±26.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% MA: 62.5% |
74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 3% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
21.5%±6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #214 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA | #137 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Fairhaven | Triton |
| High school in town | None in town | Fairhaven High | Triton Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.