Jump straight to the section you need, from the town center and farmland to the market numbers, Kathleen's take, and the FAQ.
Rowley
Rowley is a small town of 6,161 people about 32 miles north of Boston, incorporated in 1639 and one of the oldest towns in Essex County. It grew as an agricultural community and kept that character: orchards, fields, and open land still define large parts of town.
The center, around Main Street and the common, holds the historic houses, town buildings, and the village feel of the original settlement. Rowley Station, on the MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line, sits at the town's core, giving this farm town a direct rail connection to Boston that towns twice its size would envy.
1639 Roots
One of the oldest towns in Essex County
Farm Country
Orchards, fields, and open land along Route 1A
Own Rail Stop
Rowley Station on the Newburyport/Rockport Line
Main Street Center
The common, the library, and village life
Rowley
The numbers that frame the town, in one glance.
| County | Essex County |
|---|---|
| Region | Boston's Coastal North Shore |
| Residents | 6,161 (2020 Census) |
| Distance to Boston | About 32 miles north |
| ZIP Code | 01969 |
| Incorporated | 1639 |
| Government | Open Town Meeting, Select Board |
| Known For | Farm and orchard country, its own rail stop, 17th-century roots |
Rowley
Rowley is for people who want space. Streets off Main Street and Route 1A hold larger lots, older and newer homes, and the rural quiet that has mostly disappeared from the coast. The town center remains the anchor: the common, the library, and the shops on Main Street.
Schools and daily life run through the Triton district: Pine Grove Elementary is in Rowley, and Triton Regional Middle and High Schools sit on the shared campus in Byfield, minutes away. Newburyport's downtown is a short drive north for restaurants and the waterfront, and Ipswich is close by to the south.
The commute is where Rowley surprises people: Rowley Station is an MBTA stop on the Newburyport/Rockport Line, with service to Boston's North Station in under an hour. If you are comparing station towns, my commuter rail guide lays out the whole line.
Rowley
A few real Rowley stops, from Main Street to Route 1, to start from.
Rowley
Official August 2026 market report data from the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® (MAR) and MLS PIN for Rowley, Massachusetts.
7
Closed Sales (August)
2
Pending Sales
$801,000
Median Sales Price (August)
$910,000
Median Sales Price (YTD)
51
Days on Market (August)
34
Days on Market (YTD)
2.5
Months Supply of Inventory
Seven single-family homes closed in Rowley in August, with 2 pending. The August median sales price was $801,000 and the year-to-date median was $910,000. Homes spent 51 cumulative days on market in August (34 year to date), and inventory stood at 2.5 months of supply.
Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size.
1
Closed Sales (August)
1
Pending Sales
$791,000
Median Sales Price (August)
$390,000
Median Sales Price (YTD)
23
Days on Market (August)
44
Days on Market (YTD)
2.7
Months Supply of Inventory
One condominium closed in August, with 1 pending. The August median was $791,000 and the year-to-date median was $390,000, a spread that shows how much a single closing can move a small market. The condo spent 23 cumulative days on market in August (44 year to date), and months of supply sat at 2.7.
Activity for one month can sometimes look extreme due to small sample size.
Kathleen's Take on the Rowley Market
Rowley's August single-family median of $801,000 sits below the $910,000 year-to-date median, and the condo numbers, $791,000 in August against $390,000 year to date with one closing, are the small-sample disclaimer written out loud. In a town this size, one or two properties genuinely move the monthly print, so judge Rowley on the year.
Seven single-family closings and 2 pending in August, with 2.5 months of supply, is a healthy position for a small town: inventory is not piling up, and buyers who want the rail stop and the space are actively looking. The one-condo month speaks for itself, so condominium sellers in particular should expect the market to move on its own timing.
I watch the year-to-date single-family median, $910,000, as the steadier read on Rowley, plus months of supply at 2.5 on the single-family side. One month of either segment can look extreme, which is exactly what the report's own small-sample disclaimer warns about.
Thinking about making a move on the North Shore? Ask Kathleen, or book a call, and she will walk you through what is happening in Rowley right now.
Rowley
Rowley questions people actually ask. Clear answers to the most common questions about living in this small farm town.
Yes, for buyers who want space and quiet with a real commute option. Rowley is a small town of 6,161 people with open farmland, a 17th-century center, Triton district schools, and its own MBTA station on the Newburyport/Rockport Line. It is rural in character and only a short drive from Newburyport’s downtown.
Rowley is known for being one of the oldest towns in Essex County, incorporated in 1639, and for the farm and orchard country that still covers much of the town along Route 1A. It is also one of the smallest towns on the commuter rail, with Rowley Station at its center.
Rowley is about 32 miles north of Boston. Rowley Station on the MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line serves Boston’s North Station in under an hour, and Routes 1 and 95 connect the town by car.
Yes. Rowley Station, an MBTA stop on the Newburyport/Rockport Line, sits at the center of town with direct service to Boston’s North Station.
Rowley is part of the Triton Regional School District, which also serves Newbury and Salisbury. Pine Grove Elementary is in Rowley, and Triton Regional Middle School and Triton Regional High School share the campus in Byfield.
Explore Rowley homes for sale through Kathleen Militello, Realtor with eXp Realty, on her website, Essex County Homes for Sale.
Comparing towns? My full guides to Newburyport, Newbury, Salisbury, and Ipswich cover the neighboring communities, and the hub page for Coastal Communities links every North Shore town Kathleen serves.
Rowley
Authoritative first-party sources for Rowley information. These links go directly to official websites.
Next step
A conversation is the fastest way to see which Rowley fits you: a farmhouse on Route 1A, a village home near the common, or a walk to the rail station. You do not have to decide anything before we talk.
