Compare towns
Rowley vs Sterling vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowley has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Sterling | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251 |
3,629Lowest |
8,189Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 29% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Rowley and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,734±$32k 64% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| 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±$52kHighest 101% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520Highest 13% above U.S. |
— | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 166% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 7% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Sterling 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 | #119 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Sterling School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.