Compare towns
Tisbury vs Upton vs Berlin vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Tisbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.9%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Berlin has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
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 | Tisbury | Upton | Berlin | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,893 |
8,189Highest |
3,378Lowest |
5,719 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +21.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+10.2% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.9±5.7 32% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
49.7±2.8 24% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
| Lee and Tisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Tisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.1%±7.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9 MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lee and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.3% MA: 47.3% |
44.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Lee and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,113±$5kLowest 29% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$121,336±$12k 17% above MA |
$83,750±$13k 19% below MA |
| Upton and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $993,600±$141kHighest 77% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$616,600±$55k 10% above MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $690±$683Lowest 61% below MA |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
| Berlin and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,721 29% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,116 19% above MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.9%±82.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Tisbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
77.3% MA: 62.5% |
71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 29% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 17% above MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.6%±10.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Berlin 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 | #127 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA | #209 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Tisbury | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Berlin-Boylston | Lee |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Lee Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
— | 9.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 20 photos → |
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.