Compare towns
Alfred vs Upton vs Bowdoin vs Lyman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alfred has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Lyman has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
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 | Alfred | Upton | Bowdoin | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,125Lowest |
8,189Highest |
3,188 |
4,612 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±5.3 15% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.3±10Lowest 14% above U.S. |
53.8±2Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±6.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lyman and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $82,321±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$91,239±$13k 13% above U.S. |
$87,284±$14k 8% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,300±$38k about the U.S. average |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$292,800±$71kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$360,400±$44k 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$432 27% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
— | $1,063±$522Highest 25% below U.S. |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,543 14% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,375 8% above U.S. |
$2,717Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 82.2%±29.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±42.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±44.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alfred and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.6%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Lyman 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 | #74 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA | #28 of 133 in ME | #40 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 2 photos → |
U.S. 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.