Compare towns
Durham vs Douglas vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Douglas has the most affordable homes ($471k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Douglas | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
9,207 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kLowest 54% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% 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 | $504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Upton and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Douglas and Durham 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 221% above U.S. |
$6,338Lowest 103% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #177 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Douglas | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | Douglas High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
7.2Lowest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 51 photos → | 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.