Compare towns
Brookfield vs Douglas vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($339k median).
Douglas has the youngest population (median age 44).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k 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 | Brookfield | Douglas | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,486Lowest |
9,207Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 21% above U.S. |
44±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Douglas and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
34 minLowest 28% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Upton 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 | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Douglas | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
11.2Highest |
| 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.