Compare towns
Barnard vs Douglas vs Upton vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
Douglas has the most renters (16.2% rent).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k 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 | Barnard | Douglas | Upton | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,211Lowest |
9,207Highest |
8,189 |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±6Lowest 9% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.1±8.6 13% above U.S. |
| Upton and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnard and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barnard and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westford and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$112,750±$12k 40% above U.S. |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80 about the U.S. average |
$1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,375±$1kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Westford and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038Lowest 94% above U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,282 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Douglas 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Douglas | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
11.2Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 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.