Compare towns
Calais vs Upton vs Middlesex 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 youngest population (median age 42).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Westford has the most renters (13.9% 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 | Middlesex | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
8,189Highest |
1,943 |
2,290 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% 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. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
44.1±8.6 13% 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 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% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.2Lowest 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% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.3%Lowest 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% |
5.2%±2.6 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. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$112,750±$12k 40% above U.S. |
| Upton and Westford 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40kLowest 13% 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. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$2,375±$1kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Westford and Calais 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. |
$6,483 108% 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% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.8%±31 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% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1%Lowest 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 min 18% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±6.9Lowest 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | 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.