Compare towns
Rowe vs Douglas vs Upton vs Florida
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowe has the oldest housing (typical home built 1959).
Douglas has the youngest population (median age 44).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Florida has the shortest commute (26 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 | Rowe | Douglas | Upton | Florida |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 453Lowest |
9,207Highest |
8,189 |
668 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4 22% above MA |
44±2.6Lowest 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
56.1±4.4Highest 40% above MA |
| Florida and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23%±5 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±8.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±4.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Rowe and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2% MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Florida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,583±$13kLowest 33% below MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$86,875±$17k 16% below MA |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,000±$41k 51% below MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$246,800±$19kLowest 56% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576 25% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
$867±$256Lowest 51% below MA |
| Douglas and Rowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,458Lowest 76% below MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$1,894 68% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.8%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
16.7%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
91.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.4%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Rowe | Douglas | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Florida |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.