Compare towns
Upton vs Rowley vs Acton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Rowley has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Upton | Rowley | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189 |
6,251Lowest |
24,155Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
44.5±0.8Lowest 11% above MA |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.8% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
| Acton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$667,300±$52k 19% above MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
| Acton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$8,309Lowest 39% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Triton | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | 13.5Highest |
| 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.