Compare towns
Etna vs Upton vs Charleston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Etna has the most affordable homes ($183k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Charleston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).
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 | Etna | Upton | Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,252 |
8,189Highest |
1,117Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.4Lowest 8% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
45.4±5.9 17% above U.S. |
| Upton and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
12.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Upton and Etna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,379±$16kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$75,250±$20k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,000±$49kLowest 45% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$226,500±$17k 32% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$988±$870Highest 30% below U.S. |
| Charleston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,745Lowest 44% below U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$1,811 42% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.5%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Etna and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±8.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Charleston 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 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.