What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rowley has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).

Nahant has the most people working from home (18.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Rowley	Nahant
People
Population	6,251Highest	3,325Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Highest MA: +7.4%	-2.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	50±6.3Lowest 25% above MA	60.7±2.9Highest 52% above MA
Kids under 18	19.3%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4%	11%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	21.6%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9%	36.2%±6.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3%	61.6%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9%	3.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Rowley and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,734±$32kHighest 28% above MA	$112,762±$6kLowest 8% above MA
	Rowley and Nahant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$667,300±$52kLowest 19% above MA	$748,800±$99kHighest 33% above MA
	Nahant and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,603±$520Lowest 9% below MA	$1,777±$334Highest about the MA average
	Nahant 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	$6,615Lowest 10% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8%	53.5%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Rowley and Nahant 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%	8.9%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	78.9%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 3% below MA	32 minHighest 10% above MA
Work from home	11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6%	18.7%±5.7Highest MA: 18.6%
	Nahant and Rowley 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	#129 of 282 in MA
School district	Triton	Nahant
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.