Compare towns
Berlin vs Upton vs Bolton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berlin has the most renters (22.7% rent).
Upton has the most affordable homes ($577k median).
Bolton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.7%).
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 | Berlin | Upton | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,378Lowest |
8,189Highest |
5,737 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
41.2±1.7Lowest 3% above MA |
| Berlin and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
25%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Bolton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Berlin and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Berlin and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,336±$12kLowest 17% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$205,449±$31kHighest 98% above MA |
| Bolton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,600±$55k 10% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$796,000±$49kHighest 42% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,583±$1k 10% below MA |
| Berlin and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,116Lowest 19% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±19.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
12.7%±45.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.9%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
94.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
1981Lowest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1988 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minLowest 17% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.1%±6.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
40.5%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Bolton and Berlin 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 | #61 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #28 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Berlin-Boylston | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Nashoba Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.