Compare towns
Hanson vs Suffield vs Upton vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanson has the youngest population (median age 42.8).
Suffield has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Douglas has the most renters (16.2% rent).
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 | Hanson | Suffield | Upton | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,660 |
15,702Highest |
8,189Lowest |
9,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3Lowest 10% above U.S. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
| Upton and Suffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $132,200±$10k 64% above U.S. |
$119,472±$13kLowest 48% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% 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 | $533,900±$36k 60% above U.S. |
$407,500±$26kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
| Upton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,821±$860Highest 29% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697 6% above U.S. |
| Hanson and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,402 105% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,338Lowest 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69%±33.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanson and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.9%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 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 | #149 of 282 in MA | #57 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Suffield School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Douglas |
| High school in town | Whitman Hanson Regional | Suffield High School | Blackstone Valley | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.7Highest |
10.9 |
11.2 |
7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.