Compare towns
Bolton vs Upton vs Putnam
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bolton has the most people working from home (40.5%).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Putnam has the most affordable homes ($269k 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 | Bolton | Upton | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,737Lowest |
8,189 |
9,292Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +15.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 41.2±1.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.7±3 12% above U.S. |
| Upton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bolton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Putnam and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $205,449±$31kHighest 154% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Bolton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $796,000±$49kHighest 139% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,583±$1kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44 19% below U.S. |
| Bolton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 12.7%±45.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 40.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #28 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Putnam School District |
| High school in town | Nashoba Regional | Blackstone Valley | Putnam High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Highest |
11.2 |
9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.