Compare towns
Rowley vs Reading vs Georgetown
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%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
Georgetown has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
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 | Reading | Georgetown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
25,612Highest |
8,474 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
42.8±3.5Lowest 7% above MA |
| Rowley and Reading 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% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.5%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Georgetown and 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% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Reading 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Georgetown 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$151,595±$23k 46% above MA |
| Reading and Georgetown 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 |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$651,200±$23kLowest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$2,223±$506Highest 26% above MA |
| Georgetown and Reading 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 |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
$7,272Lowest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.7%±22.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Georgetown 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
3.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.4% MA: 62.5% |
84%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 3% below MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #214 of 282 in MA | #50 of 282 in MA | #140 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Reading | Georgetown |
| High school in town | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Georgetown High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
9.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.