Compare towns
Upton vs Ware vs Rowley
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 people working from home (22.8%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k median).
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 | Ware | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189 |
10,048Highest |
6,251Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±4.7Lowest 8% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1Highest 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% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest 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 | $155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
| Upton and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
| Rowley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,603±$520Highest 9% below MA |
| Rowley and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3 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 | 3.2% MA: 10% |
11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ware | Triton |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
11.1Lowest |
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| 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.