Compare towns
Rowley vs Needham vs Marblehead
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 affordable homes ($667k median).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Marblehead has the most people working from home (34%).
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 | Needham | Marblehead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
32,459Highest |
20,413 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
49.1±2 23% above MA |
| Rowley and Marblehead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Marblehead 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
78.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$182,132±$28k 75% above MA |
| Needham and Marblehead 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 |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$943,900±$31k 68% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,764±$147 about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
49.5%±8.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Needham 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% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
4.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1944Lowest 20 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 3% below MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
34%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Marblehead and Needham 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 | #19 of 282 in MA | #47 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Needham | Marblehead |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | Marblehead High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.