Compare towns
Upton vs Meredith vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Meredith has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Douglas has the youngest population (median age 44).
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 | Upton | Meredith | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189 |
6,758Lowest |
9,207Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
44±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$470,600±$29kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Douglas and Meredith 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. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Meredith 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% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Meredith 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Douglas |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Inter-Lakes High School | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
11.1 |
7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.