Compare towns
Rowley vs Ware 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 most expensive homes ($667k median).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
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 | Ware | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251 |
10,048Highest |
4,948Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% 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%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Rowley and Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Ware 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
| Boylston 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$578,600±$47k about the MA average |
| Rowley and Boylston 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 |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Boylston and Rowley 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$7,266 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware 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% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 3% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #214 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Ware | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
11.1 |
| 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.