Compare towns
Rowley vs Upton vs Dudley
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 expensive homes ($667k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Dudley has the most affordable homes ($393k median).
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 | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
8,189 |
11,929Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Dudley 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below 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±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA |
| 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 9% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Rowley and Dudley 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest 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% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 3% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #214 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.


