Compare towns
Millis vs Mount Desert vs Upton vs Medfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Medfield has the most people working from home (36.6%).
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 | Millis | Mount Desert | Upton | Medfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,888 |
1,671Lowest |
8,189 |
13,068Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±3 19% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
42.4±3Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
28.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Medfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Desert and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
78.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Millis and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $155,996±$9k 93% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$235,800±$32kHighest 192% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,500±$31k 81% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66kLowest 57% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$911,100±$32kHighest 174% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,696±$279 20% above U.S. |
$1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,035±$559Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Medfield and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,344 200% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.5%±16.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.1%±20.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Medfield and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
36.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 282 in MA | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #26 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Millis | Mount Desert Public Schools | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Medfield |
| High school in town | Millis High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Medfield Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 11.2 |
12.7Highest |
| 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.