Compare towns
Webster vs Douglas vs Upton vs Boscawen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most homeowners (96%).
Douglas has the youngest population (median age 44).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Boscawen has the most affordable homes ($287k 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 | Webster | Douglas | Upton | Boscawen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,227Lowest |
9,207Highest |
8,189 |
4,044 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±7.6 15% above U.S. |
44±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
46±4.2 18% above U.S. |
| Upton and Boscawen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±8 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±5.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Boscawen and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
41.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,171±$14k 33% above U.S. |
$152,267±$10k 89% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$77,328±$27kLowest 4% below 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 | $338,500±$30k about the U.S. average |
$470,600±$29k 41% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$286,500±$23kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,396±$622 about the U.S. average |
$1,503±$697Highest 6% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,265±$307 10% below U.S. |
| Douglas and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,021Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$6,338 103% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,549 110% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.6%±71Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±21 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 16% above U.S. |
34 min 28% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.1%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.9%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #177 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #51 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Merrimack Valley School District | Douglas | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.