Compare towns
Brookfield vs Upton vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Douglas has the youngest population (median age 44).
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 | Brookfield | Upton | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
8,189 |
9,207Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
44±2.6Lowest 10% above MA |
| Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 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+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above 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 | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161 42% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
| Douglas and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092Lowest 15% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981Lowest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 11% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Douglas |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.