Compare towns
Douglas vs Sutton vs Upton vs Wakefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k median).
Sutton has the shortest commute (30 min average).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Sutton | Upton | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207 |
9,452 |
8,189Lowest |
27,793Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 10% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
52.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Wakefield 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 46% above MA |
$147,125±$25k 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,306±$14kLowest 29% above MA |
| 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±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$523,100±$47k 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
| Wakefield and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
$6,763 13% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
12.6Highest |
11.2 |
10.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.