Compare towns
Bakersfield vs Upton vs Fairfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bakersfield has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
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 | Bakersfield | Upton | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,109Lowest |
8,189Highest |
1,938 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±8Highest 19% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
42.3±2.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
25.4%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bakersfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bakersfield and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,462±$18kLowest 3% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$87,019±$22k 8% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $271,300±$19kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$320,600±$22k 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,200±$327Highest 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,056±$441 25% below U.S. |
| Bakersfield and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,823Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,816 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.8%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.2%±20.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Bakersfield 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 | — |
| School district | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 |
| High school 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 |
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.