Compare towns
Rowley vs Wakefield 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 affordable homes ($667k median).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Newbury has the highest household income ($175k).
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 | Wakefield | Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
27,793Highest |
6,777 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3 25% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% 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% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Rowley 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%±1.9Lowest 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
60.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Newbury 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±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$174,868±$59kHighest 68% above MA |
| Newbury and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $667,300±$52kLowest 19% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$840,600±$40kHighest 50% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520Lowest 9% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,806±$1k about the MA average |
| Wakefield and Newbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$6,661Lowest 11% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±26.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Newbury 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% |
4.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 3% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.5%±6 MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Newbury 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #137 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | — | Triton |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Triton Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.