Compare towns
Rowley vs Worcester vs Millis 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).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Millis has the highest household income ($156k).
Boylston has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Worcester | Millis | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,251 |
207,055Highest |
8,888 |
4,948Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+11.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
46.4±3 16% 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%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6Lowest 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%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Millis and Boylston 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% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.5% MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$140,962±$28k 36% above MA |
| Millis and Boylston 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 |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$603,500±$31k 7% above MA |
$578,600±$47k about the MA average |
| Rowley and Millis 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 |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,696±$279 4% below MA |
$2,032±$350Highest 15% above MA |
| Boylston and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309 39% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$7,266 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Millis 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% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 3% below MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
31 minHighest 5% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Boylston and Millis 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 | #63 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Millis | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | None in town | South High Community | Millis High School | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6Highest |
10.7Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.