The Town FilesDouglas, Massachusetts
Town in Worcester County · population 8,983 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $470,600
- Household income
- $152,267
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 44.0
Douglas is a town of 8,983 people in Worcester County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $470,600, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for families than 81% of Massachusetts towns, better for a vacation home than 75% of Massachusetts towns.
How Douglas ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Douglas is worth $470,600, below the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $152,267, which is more affordable than 97% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $1,503 a month. 83.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Douglas | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $470,600 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $1,503 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $152,267 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 83.8% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.8% | — |
Who lives in Douglas
| People | Douglas | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.0 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.4% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 20.9% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 33.9 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 93.9% |
Weather in Douglas
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 14.6°F. About 48.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.3 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 153 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Douglas since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 9, 1953 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 19, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Worcester County since 1996
Worcester County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Worcester County
Worcester County had 351,476 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,641 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Douglas itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Douglas
4 public schools with 1,160 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas Elementary School | 2-5 | 353 | 14.1 |
| Douglas High School | 9-12 | 303 | 8.4 |
| Douglas Middle School | 6-8 | 289 | 12.6 |
| Douglas Primary School | PK-1 | 215 | 17.9 |
Towns near Douglas
- East Douglas, MA2.6 mi · 2,702 people · home $434,600
- Webster, MA4.8 mi · 17,776 people · home $361,500
- Sutton, MA5.5 mi · 9,357 people · home $523,100
- Uxbridge, MA5.6 mi · 14,162 people · home $441,100
- Whitinsville, MA6.1 mi · 6,750 people · home $449,600
- Webster, MA6.3 mi · 12,194 people · home $333,100
- Burrillville, RI6.3 mi · 16,158 people · home $384,400
- Northbridge, MA7.2 mi · 16,335 people · home $448,600
Douglas questions
Is Douglas, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Douglas scores better for retirees than 41% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 67%. 15.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.0).
How much does a house cost in Douglas?
The median owner-occupied home in Douglas is valued at $470,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $152,267, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,503 a month.
What is the weather like in Douglas?
July highs average 82.5°F and January lows 14.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.9 inches of precipitation a year and 48.3 inches of snow.
Does Douglas get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Douglas since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 9, 1953. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)