Compare towns
Douglas vs Upton vs Strafford vs Hanson
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 most renters (16.2% rent).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Strafford has the shortest commute (23 min average).
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 | Strafford | Hanson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,207 |
8,189 |
1,372Lowest |
10,660Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
42.8±3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Strafford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Strafford 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strafford 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas and Strafford 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$132,200±$10k 64% 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$533,900±$36k 60% above U.S. |
| Upton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S. |
| Hanson and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,338Lowest 103% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$6,402 105% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanson and Upton 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 28% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
34 min 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Douglas | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Strafford School District | 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 |
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.