Compare towns
Douglas vs Upton vs Stow vs Hanson
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).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Hanson has the youngest population (median age 42.8).
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 | Stow | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207 |
8,189 |
7,165Lowest |
10,660Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
42.8±3Lowest 7% above MA |
| Upton and Stow 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% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Stow 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%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Hanson 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% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Hanson 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±$33k 50% above MA |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$132,200±$10kLowest 27% above MA |
| Stow 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 |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$533,900±$36k 5% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$1,821±$860Highest 3% above MA |
| Hanson and Stow 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 |
$6,402 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2 MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Stow 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% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
34 minLowest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #177 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #44 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Douglas High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Whitman Hanson Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.2Lowest |
11.2 |
— | 14.7Highest |
| 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.