Compare towns

Bow vs Upton vs Sutton vs Dunbarton

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Dunbarton has the most homeowners (95.1%).

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.

MeasureBowUptonSuttonDunbarton
People
Population
8,335
8,189
9,452Highest
3,097Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+9.4%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+9%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
41.5±2Lowest
7% above U.S.
46.4±4.8
19% above U.S.
44.3±2.5
14% above U.S.
48±3.7Highest
23% above U.S.
Dunbarton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
25%±3.6Highest
U.S.: 22%
23.2%±4.5
U.S.: 22%
19.6%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
19.8%±3.8
U.S.: 22%
Bow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.6%±2.5Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.8%±3.2
U.S.: 17.2%
20.4%±4.3
U.S.: 17.2%
Upton and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
60.3%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
53.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
52.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
39.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.6%±1.9Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
3.9%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
3.8%±2
U.S.: 6.4%
Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$172,857±$16kHighest
114% above U.S.
$155,508±$33k
93% above U.S.
$147,125±$25k
82% above U.S.
$124,348±$21kLowest
54% above U.S.
Bow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$506,500±$34k
52% above U.S.
$576,700±$41kHighest
73% above U.S.
$523,100±$47k
57% above U.S.
$484,100±$33kLowest
46% above U.S.
Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,539±$178Highest
9% above U.S.
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
$1,190±$401
16% below U.S.
$1,166±$70
17% below U.S.
Bow and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,584Highest
207% above U.S.
$8,376
169% above U.S.
$6,763Lowest
117% above U.S.
$8,233
164% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
39%±13.2Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±31
U.S.: 51.1%
47.5%±24.4
U.S.: 51.1%
54.7%±60.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Dunbarton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
2.7%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
5.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
87.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
89.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.1%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985
5 yrs newer than U.S.
1981Lowest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1981Lowest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1990Highest
10 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minLowest
about the U.S. average
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
30 min
12% above U.S.
34 min
27% above U.S.
Work from home
22.7%±4.7
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
22.7%±4.1
U.S.: 15.1%
12.6%±5.4Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Upton and Bow 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 #26 of 120 in NH #46 of 282 in MA #105 of 282 in MA #33 of 120 in NH
School district Bow School District Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton Sutton Dunbarton School District
High school in town Bow High School Blackstone Valley Sutton High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
12.8Highest
11.2Lowest
12.6
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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.