Population 5,992 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rowley
Household size in Rowley
| Period | Rowley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.71 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.85 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.57 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Rowley run a little small, averaging 2.57 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. The Boston area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.66, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Rowley
| Period | Rowley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.5 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.7 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.5 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.3 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.8 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 48.3, Rowley is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 44.5, in line with the national trend. Rowley is older than at least four in five Massachusetts cities.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Rowley
| Period | Rowley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.6% of households in Rowley, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Rowley
Renters in Rowley
| Period | Rowley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.6% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.3% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.6% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.4% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Rowley is largely a place of homeowners: only 18.4% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly three in ten owners (28.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 4.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Rowley
| Period | Rowley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 1.3% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.2% of homes in Rowley are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 0.7 points, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Rowley
| Period | Rowley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in Rowley leans older: the median home dates to 1973, against 1980 nationally. Even so, homes here are newer than in the wider Boston area, where the median home dates to 1964. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the east has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Rowley
| Period | Rowley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,194 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,410 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,366 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,706 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$512 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Rowley costs $1,706 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the wider Boston area ($2,051). Rent has climbed $512 a month since 2006–10, up 43%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 38.7% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Rowley
Bachelor's degrees in Rowley
| Period | Rowley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.3% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.5% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.0% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 56.9% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.6 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Rowley is highly educated: nearly six in ten adults 25 and older (56.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 13.6 points, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Rowley
| Period | Rowley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.5% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.9% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.8% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.6% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Rowley: 99.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.2 points, as it has nationally. Only one other Massachusetts city with 5,000+ people has a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Rowley
| Period | Rowley | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.2% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Rowley than nationally: unemployment was 3.5%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 1.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Rowley compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowley | 2.57 | 48.3 | 8.6% | 18.4% | 5.2% | 1973 | $1,706 | 56.9% | 99.6% | 3.5% |
| Byfield | 2.52 | 50.0 | 9.3% | 19.7% | 9.8% | 1986 | $1,781 | 56.9% | 96.2% | 2.1% |
| East Boxford | 2.30 | 47.0 | 11.2% | 16.7% | 9.2% | 1960 | $1,783 | 54.7% | 99.2% | 4.5% |
| Ipswich | 2.45 | 47.6 | 5.4% | 26.3% | 8.7% | 1960 | $1,662 | 60.4% | 98.6% | 2.5% |
| Georgetown | 2.65 | 43.7 | 4.9% | 16.0% | 2.2% | 1978 | $1,900 | 56.9% | 98.0% | 1.6% |
| Topsfield | 3.00 | 42.6 | 5.0% | 9.3% | 4.6% | 1970 | $1,057 | 71.5% | 97.5% | 2.1% |
| Boxford | 3.00 | 47.9 | 4.4% | 5.3% | 5.6% | 1978 | $877 | 71.1% | 98.6% | 2.4% |
| Newbury | 2.22 | 58.6 | 3.3% | 9.8% | 24.3% | 1948 | $1,703 | 65.1% | 99.9% | 3.2% |
| Groveland | 2.58 | 45.1 | 4.1% | 9.6% | 7.8% | 1975 | $1,773 | 45.7% | 96.1% | 6.0% |
| West Newbury | 2.73 | 49.3 | 6.1% | 4.6% | 6.4% | 1983 | $1,769 | 64.4% | 98.5% | 2.4% |
| Little Neck | 2.36 | 51.9 | 8.6% | 37.5% | 15.7% | 1977 | $1,566 | 63.7% | 98.2% | 1.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Marshall, VA · Progreso, TX · Primera, TX · Priest River, ID · Prescott, WI · Prairie Du Sac, WI · Poynette, WI · Pottsboro, TX · Potterville, MI · Potosi, MO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Rowley. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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