Compare towns
Dover vs Upton vs Canton vs Bolton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1308k median).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Canton has the most renters (26.4% rent).
Bolton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.7%).
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 | Dover | Upton | Canton | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,308Lowest |
8,189 |
24,748Highest |
5,737 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13% MA: +7.4% |
+15.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.5±4Highest 19% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
41.2±1.7Lowest 3% above MA |
| Dover and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
25%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Bolton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 83.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.5% MA: 47.3% |
81.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.4%±4.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $250,001Highest 140% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$143,381±$9kLowest 38% above MA |
$205,449±$31k 98% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,308,300±$149kHighest 133% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$796,000±$49k 42% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA |
$1,583±$1k 10% below MA |
| Canton and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
12.7%±45.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Dover and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.3% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 26% above MA |
35 minLowest 22% above MA |
36 min 23% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 37.4%±8.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
40.5%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Bolton and Dover 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 | #1 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #28 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Canton High | Nashoba Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.0 |
| 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.