Compare towns
Rowley vs Stow vs Upton vs Boylston
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 oldest population (median age 50).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Stow | Upton | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,251 |
7,165 |
8,189Highest |
4,948Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
48.2±2.3 21% above MA |
| Rowley and Boylston 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% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Stow 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston 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% MA: 47.3% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Stow 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 |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$140,962±$28k 36% above MA |
| Stow and Upton 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 |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$578,600±$47k about the MA average |
| Stow 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 |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Boylston and Stow 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$7,266Lowest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow and Rowley 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% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 3% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #214 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.