Compare towns
Nelson vs Douglas vs Upton vs Roxbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Douglas has the most renters (16.2% rent).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Roxbury has the shortest commute (21 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 | Nelson | Douglas | Upton | Roxbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 648 |
9,207Highest |
8,189 |
299Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.3±11.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
44±2.6 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.2±17.7 11% above U.S. |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±11.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±10.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.4%±15.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Roxbury and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$69,226±$14kLowest 14% below 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 | $340,900±$49k about the U.S. average |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$323,100±$219kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,203±$243 15% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
— |
| Douglas and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,575Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,787 86% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±68.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Nelson 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Nelson School District | Douglas | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.