Compare towns
Ira vs Upton vs Mount Tabor vs Jay
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ira has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Mount Tabor has the oldest population (median age 57.8).
Jay has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Ira | Upton | Mount Tabor | Jay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 381 |
8,189Highest |
304Lowest |
471 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.1±5.5 39% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
57.8±10.6Highest 49% above U.S. |
52.1±10.5 34% above U.S. |
| Mount Tabor and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.2%±7.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.9%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
42.4%±18.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Tabor and Ira are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ira and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,827±$5kLowest 11% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
— | $74,792±$25k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $272,900±$18k 18% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$420,500±$76k 26% above U.S. |
$234,200±$45kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $942±$52Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$2,143±$367Highest 52% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,146 33% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,233 68% above U.S. |
$3,588Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.4%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
2001Highest 21 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
46 minHighest 72% above U.S. |
40 min 50% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.4%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±13.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Jay and Upton 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 | — | Jay/Westfield Joint Elementary School District |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.