Compare towns
Barnard vs Upton vs Bridgewater
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnard has the most kids (26.9% under 18).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Bridgewater has the most affordable homes ($218k 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 | Barnard | Upton | Bridgewater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,211 |
8,189Highest |
980Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±6Lowest 9% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
57.1±8Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Bridgewater and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.9%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Barnard and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.2%±0.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Barnard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,581±$19k 21% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$70,272±$3kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $402,600±$71k 21% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$218,300±$55kLowest 34% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,372±$80Highest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$850±$778Lowest 40% below U.S. |
| Barnard and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,038 94% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,418Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27%±19.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±10.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Barnard 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 | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | — |
| 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.