Compare towns
Etna vs Upton vs Steuben vs Carmel
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 homeowners (94.9%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Steuben has the most affordable homes ($174k median).
Carmel has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Steuben | Carmel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,252Lowest |
8,189Highest |
1,388 |
2,941 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±3.4 8% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
40.1±8.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
46.4±4.5Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Steuben 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% |
15.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.5%±5 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
17.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,379±$16kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$76,466±$4k 5% below U.S. |
$82,188±$22k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $183,000±$49k 45% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$173,900±$32kLowest 48% below U.S. |
$256,800±$37k 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$678±$319Lowest 52% below U.S. |
$1,276±$187Highest 10% below U.S. |
| Carmel 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. |
$2,029 35% below U.S. |
$2,662 15% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
26.3%±87.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Etna and Carmel 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% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 5.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.8%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.5%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Steuben 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 | — | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 24 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.