Compare towns
Andover vs Columbia vs Upton vs Barkhamsted
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Columbia has the most renters (16.7% rent).
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 | Andover | Columbia | Upton | Barkhamsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,152Lowest |
5,300 |
8,189Highest |
3,678 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 51.2±5.4 32% above U.S. |
51.3±10.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
50.2±3.3 29% above U.S. |
| Columbia and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Barkhamsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±5.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.2%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Barkhamsted and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Andover and Barkhamsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,632±$20k 67% above U.S. |
$127,000±$30k 57% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$123,544±$9kLowest 53% above U.S. |
| Upton and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,500±$36k 13% above U.S. |
$361,500±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$368,000±$15k 11% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$745Highest 17% below U.S. |
$966±$304 32% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,164±$114 18% below U.S. |
| Andover and Barkhamsted are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,554 110% above U.S. |
$5,228Lowest 68% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,354 104% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.8%±38.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
17.6%±16.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.8%±35.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Andover and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.5%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Columbia 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 | #43 of 149 in CT | #114 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #63 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Andover School District | Columbia School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Barkhamsted School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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 | 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.