Compare towns
Upton vs Mount Desert vs Milford
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 highest household income ($156k).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Milford has the most renters (37.8% rent).
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 | Mount Desert | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189 |
1,671Lowest |
27,731Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
38.5±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Mount Desert and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Milford 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% |
29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Desert and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$93,310±$5k 16% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$464,700±$12kLowest 40% above U.S. |
| Upton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$1,889±$133Highest 34% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$5,664 82% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Milford and Upton 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% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Mount Desert 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 | — | #213 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.