Compare towns
Calais vs Upton vs Douglas vs Westford
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 most affordable homes ($390k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Douglas has the most renters (16.2% 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 | Upton | Douglas | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
8,189 |
9,207Highest |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
44.1±8.6 13% above U.S. |
| Upton and Westford 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.6Lowest 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.2 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% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westford and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$112,750±$12k 40% 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 | $390,300±$36kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
$2,375±$1kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Westford and Douglas 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
$6,282Lowest 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Calais 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 18% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Douglas | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Douglas High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
7.2Lowest |
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| 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.