Compare towns
Rowe vs Douglas vs Upton vs Hancock
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 most affordable homes ($275k median).
Douglas has the youngest population (median age 44).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Hancock has the shortest commute (22 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 | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 453Lowest |
9,207Highest |
8,189 |
752 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.4Highest 22% above MA |
44±2.6Lowest 10% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
47.1±11.1 18% above MA |
| Rowe and Hancock 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% |
19.1%±4.9Lowest 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% |
27.3%±5.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Rowe and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.7% 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% |
3.5%±3.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Hancock 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 |
$96,250±$26k 7% 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±$41kLowest 51% below MA |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$375,500±$21k 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,313±$576 25% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,268±$415 28% 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 | $1,458 76% below MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$1,018Lowest 83% 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% |
51.1%±36.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Hancock 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% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
82.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1986 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1989Highest 25 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 |
22 minLowest 25% below MA |
| Work from home | 7.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±4.3 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 | Hancock |
| 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.