Compare towns
Dover vs Upton vs Chilmark 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 highest household income ($250k).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Chilmark has grown the fastest since 2010 (+40%).
Bolton has the most people working from home (40.5%).
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 | Chilmark | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,930 |
8,189Highest |
1,578Lowest |
5,737 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+40%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+15.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.9±2.3 12% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
53.6±8.1Highest 34% above MA |
41.2±1.7Lowest 3% above MA |
| Chilmark and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26%±5.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Dover and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
36.2%±12.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Chilmark and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 84.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
68.1% MA: 47.3% |
81.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Dover and Bolton 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±$33kLowest 50% above MA |
$168,750±$28k 62% above MA |
$205,449±$31k 98% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,340,300±$117k 138% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$1,895,300±$281kHighest 237% above MA |
$796,000±$49k 42% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,917±$2kHighest 66% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,750±$2k 56% above MA |
$1,583±$1k 10% below MA |
| Dover and Chilmark 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 |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 20%±100 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
30.8%±59.9 MA: 51.8% |
12.7%±45.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Chilmark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
4.1%Highest MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
94.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 19% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
32 minLowest 8% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 34.2%±6.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±11 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 | — | #28 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Up-Island Regional | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Nashoba Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.8Lowest |
11.2 |
— | 12.0Highest |
| 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.