Compare towns
Rowley vs Somerville vs Newbury
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).
Somerville has the most renters (65.8% rent).
Newbury has the highest household income ($175k).
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 | Somerville | Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
81,036Highest |
6,777 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3 25% above MA |
31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below MA |
55.1±4.8Highest 38% above MA |
| Newbury and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Rowley and Newbury 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% |
10%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.5%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Newbury 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% |
69.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$132,572±$6kLowest 28% above MA |
$174,868±$59kHighest 68% above MA |
| Newbury and Rowley 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 |
$911,300±$26kHighest 62% above MA |
$840,600±$40k 50% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520Lowest 9% below MA |
$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA |
$1,806±$1k about the MA average |
| Somerville and Newbury 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 |
$6,186Lowest 3% above MA |
$6,661 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±26.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Newbury 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% |
9.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% MA: 62.5% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 3% below MA |
31 minHighest 7% above MA |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.5%±6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #214 of 282 in MA | #225 of 282 in MA | #137 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Somerville | Triton |
| High school in town | None in town | Somerville High | Triton Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.