Compare towns
Rockport vs Upton vs Gloucester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rockport has the most expensive homes ($746k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Gloucester has the shortest commute (24 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 | Rockport | Upton | Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,009Lowest |
8,189 |
30,075Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 59.7±3.3Highest 49% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
50.2±2.3 26% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.8%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 38.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Gloucester and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,250±$15k 7% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $746,100±$47kHighest 33% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$600,600±$18k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,851±$219Highest 5% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,411±$94 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,215 4% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,152Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 71.1%±17Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Rockport and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
| Work from home | 22%±5.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Rockport 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 | #124 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #164 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Rockport | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Gloucester |
| High school in town | Rockport Middle High | Blackstone Valley | Gloucester High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.3Lowest |
11.2Highest |
10.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.