What stands out worked out from the figures below

Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).

Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Upton	Dover
People
Population	8,189Lowest	33,364Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S.	36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22%	16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Upton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Upton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	52%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S.	$94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S.	$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S.	$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S.
	Dover and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,376Highest 169% above U.S.	$8,249Lowest 164% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1%	48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Upton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.	1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 34% above U.S.	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.
Work from home	22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Upton and Dover 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	#46 of 282 in MA	#64 of 120 in NH
School district	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton	Dover School District
High school in town	Blackstone Valley	Dover Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	12.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.