Compare towns
Bernardston vs Douglas vs Upton vs Gill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bernardston has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Gill has the youngest population (median age 43.8).
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 | Bernardston | Douglas | Upton | Gill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,164 |
9,207Highest |
8,189 |
1,740Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±3.2Highest 23% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
| Bernardston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±8.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.1%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Bernardston and Gill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.1%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Gill and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,940±$10kLowest 21% below MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$90,208±$14k 13% below MA |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $332,000±$15kLowest 41% below MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$340,100±$17k 39% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,283±$553 27% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,193±$246 32% below MA |
| Douglas and Bernardston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,516 25% below MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,318Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±15.1 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
62.7%±10.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Gill and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
21 min 29% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±8 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | Pioneer Valley | Douglas | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Gill-Montague |
| 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 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.