Compare towns
Ware vs Upton vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k 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 | Ware | Upton | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,369Lowest |
8,189 |
9,207Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.8±6Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
| Upton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ware and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,158±$11kLowest 57% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above 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 | $253,400±$31kLowest 55% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$470,600±$29k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,039±$104 41% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,503±$697Highest 15% below MA |
| Douglas and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,408Lowest 43% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.5%±17.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.6%±5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Douglas |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.