What stands out worked out from the figures below

Rowley has the most homeowners (81.7%).

Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Rowley	Worcester
People
Population	6,251Lowest	207,055Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	50±6.3Highest 25% above MA	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA
Kids under 18	19.3%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4%
	Worcester and Rowley 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%	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	56.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9%	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$132,734±$32kHighest 28% above MA	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,603±$520Highest 9% below MA	$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA
	Rowley and Worcester 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	$4,733Lowest 21% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8%	54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Rowley and Worcester 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%	19.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 3% below MA	24 minLowest 17% below MA
Work from home	11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6%	11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Worcester 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	#266 of 282 in MA
School district	Triton	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester
High school in town	None in town	South High Community
Students per teacherat that high school	—	14.6
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.