Compare towns
Bedford vs Millis vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
Millis has the oldest housing (typical home built 1974).
Upton has the most affordable 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 | Bedford | Millis | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
8,888 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2Lowest 16% above U.S. |
46.4±3Highest 19% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Millis and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
$155,996±$9k 93% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kLowest 93% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$603,500±$31k 81% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kLowest 73% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
$1,696±$279 20% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Bedford and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$9,344 200% above U.S. |
$8,376Lowest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±16.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford and Upton 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 | #7 of 120 in NH | #63 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bedford School District | Millis | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Millis High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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.