Compare towns
Rowley vs Whately vs Rowley
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 highest household income ($133k).
Whately has the most people working from home (20.4%).
Rowley has the youngest population (median age 46.3).
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 | Whately | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251Highest |
1,499Lowest |
1,708 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
49.3±6.7 23% above MA |
46.3±16.7Lowest 16% above MA |
| Rowley and Whately 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% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±6.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Rowley and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Whately 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% |
47.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
57.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley 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±$32kHighest 28% above MA |
$116,563±$15k 12% above MA |
$109,622±$17kLowest 5% above MA |
| Rowley and Whately 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 |
$431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$614,800±$39k 9% above MA |
| Rowley and Rowley 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 |
$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA |
$1,663±$674Highest 6% below MA |
| Rowley 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 |
$5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
$6,865 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
46.3%±45.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley 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% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
6.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 3% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
25 min 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Whately and Rowley 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 | — | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Whately | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.

