Compare towns
Rowley vs Somerville 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).
Somerville has the most renters (65.8% rent).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% 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 | Somerville | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
81,036Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
31.9±0.6Lowest 20% below 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%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
9.8%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Rowley 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% |
10%±0.8Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
69.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
12.8%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$132,572±$6kLowest 28% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton 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±$52k 19% above MA |
$911,300±$26kHighest 62% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$2,517±$64Highest 43% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 39% above MA |
$6,186Lowest 3% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Upton 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% MA: 62.5% |
34.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 3% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
31.3%±2.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #214 of 282 in MA | #225 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Somerville | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Somerville High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
11.2 |
| 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.