Compare towns
Rowley vs Upton vs Needham vs Sterling
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 homeowners (86.7%).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($499k 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 | Needham | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
8,189 |
32,459Highest |
8,183 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3 25% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
51.5±1.8Highest 29% above MA |
| Sterling 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%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Upton 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% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Sterling 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% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Rowley 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 28% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$129,063±$27kLowest 24% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$498,800±$48kLowest 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,699±$161 4% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 39% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$6,757Lowest 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
46%±23.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Needham 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% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 3% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #214 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #135 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Needham | Wachusett |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— |
| 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.