Compare towns
Charlestown vs Glocester 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
Charlestown has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Glocester has the most affordable homes ($397k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Charlestown | Glocester | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,051Lowest |
10,221Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.3±2.1Highest 37% above U.S. |
50.8±4.3 31% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Charlestown and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charlestown and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Charlestown and Glocester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,404±$10kLowest 36% above U.S. |
$113,508±$7k 41% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $525,500±$57k 58% above U.S. |
$396,500±$28kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Upton and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,374±$134 about the U.S. average |
$1,417±$627Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Glocester and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,365Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$5,248 68% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.7%±20.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Glocester and Charlestown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Charlestown 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 | #10 of 38 in RI | #12 of 38 in RI | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Chariho | Foster-Glocester · Glocester | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Ponaganset High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.