Compare towns
Rowley vs North Reading vs Upton
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 shortest commute (28 min average).
North Reading has the most people working from home (26.1%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | North Reading | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
15,765Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
43±2.8Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Rowley and Upton 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% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.4% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and North Reading 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 |
$147,768±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and North Reading 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 |
$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
| North Reading and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$2,259±$356Highest 28% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| North Reading and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 3% below MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| North Reading and Upton 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 | #33 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | North Reading | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | North Reading High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.1Lowest |
11.2Highest |
| 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.