Compare towns
Rowley vs Upton vs Dover 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 renters (18.3% rent).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Dover has the most people working from home (37.4%).
Newbury has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Upton | Dover | Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,251 |
8,189Highest |
2,308Lowest |
6,777 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3 25% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
47.5±4 19% above 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%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±4.8 MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Dover 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±3.5Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
83.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
60.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.4%±4.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Newbury 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 |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$174,868±$59k 68% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$1,308,300±$149kHighest 133% above MA |
$840,600±$40k 50% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
— | $1,806±$1kHighest about the MA average |
| Newbury and Rowley 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 |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,661Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
53%±26.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Dover 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
3.3% MA: 10% |
4.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 3% below MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
37.4%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.5%±6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #214 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #1 of 282 in MA | #137 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Triton |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | — | 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 | 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.