Compare towns
Rowley vs Harvard vs Boylston
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 50).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Harvard | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251 |
6,927Highest |
4,948Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+5.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
44.1±4.7Lowest 10% above MA |
48.2±2.3 21% above MA |
| Rowley and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Harvard and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Rowley 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% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
$140,962±$28k 36% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
$578,600±$47kLowest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$1,321±$424Lowest 25% below MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Boylston and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 39% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,266Lowest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Rowley 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% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 3% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #214 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Harvard | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | None in town | The Bromfield High School | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0Lowest |
11.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.