Compare towns
Douglas vs Upton vs Ashby vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Ashby has the most homeowners (95.5%).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% 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 | Douglas | Upton | Ashby | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207 |
8,189 |
3,211Lowest |
17,748Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
50.5±3Highest 26% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Ashby and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Ashby and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.7% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.7% MA: 47.3% |
25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Douglas 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$115,598±$9k 11% above MA |
$72,895±$6kLowest 30% below 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±$29k 16% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$390,500±$30k 31% below MA |
$361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,200±$484 32% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338 6% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,034 about the MA average |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
36.4%±53.5 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
95.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Douglas 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #200 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | North Middlesex | Webster |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Bartlett High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
11.2 |
— | 11.6Highest |
| 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.