Compare towns
Calais vs Dummerston vs Upton vs Grand Isle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the youngest population (median age 42).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Grand Isle has the most renters (13.6% rent).
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 | Calais | Dummerston | Upton | Grand Isle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
2,090 |
8,189Highest |
2,192 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.3±2.6 11% above U.S. |
| Upton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$100,846±$22k 25% above U.S. |
| Upton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$398,600±$33k 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,363±$530 4% below U.S. |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586 111% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,453 75% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Grand Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.3%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Calais 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 | — | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Champlain Islands Unified Union School District #66 |
| High school in town | None 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 | 6 photos → |
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.



