Compare towns
Calais vs Putney vs Upton vs Middlesex
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Putney | Upton | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
2,622 |
8,189Highest |
1,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
| Upton and Middlesex 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% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 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%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Calais and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
| Upton and Middlesex 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. |
$300,000±$44kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
| Calais and Middlesex 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. |
$5,313Lowest 70% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Putney and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex 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 | — | #32 of 70 in VT | #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 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.