Compare towns
Douglas vs Epping vs Thompson 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
Douglas has the youngest population (median age 44).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
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 | Douglas | Epping | Thompson | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207 |
7,430Lowest |
9,337Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% 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 | $470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,012±$344 28% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Epping and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338 103% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 28% above U.S. |
32 min 22% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #130 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Epping School District | Thompson School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Epping High School | Tourtellotte Memorial High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
9.3 |
7.9 |
11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.