Compare towns
Bedford vs Sutton vs Upton vs Amherst
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%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k median).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Sutton | Upton | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
9,452 |
8,189Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5 18% above U.S. |
| Upton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3 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%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bedford and Sutton 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. |
$147,125±$25kLowest 82% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Upton 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. |
$523,100±$47kLowest 57% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Upton 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. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
$6,763Lowest 117% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Upton 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% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst and Bedford 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 | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.6 |
11.2 |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.