Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Upton vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Alfred has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Bowdoin | Upton | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,188 |
8,189Highest |
3,125Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.9±5.3 15% above U.S. |
| Upton and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±6.3Lowest 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+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±5.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Alfred and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bowdoin and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 13% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$82,321±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$342,300±$38k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,035±$432Highest 27% below U.S. |
| Alfred and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,543 14% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
82.2%±29.5Highest 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 | 11%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Bowdoin 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.