Compare towns
Douglas vs Upton vs Acton
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).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Upton | Acton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,207 |
8,189Lowest |
24,155Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6Lowest 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
| Upton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Acton 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% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $152,267±$10kLowest 46% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
| Acton and Upton 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 |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
| Acton 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 |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 16% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #177 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Acton-Boxborough |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Blackstone Valley | Acton-Boxborough Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
11.2 |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.