Compare towns
Bethlehem vs Middlefield vs Upton vs Watertown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethlehem has the most renters (29.8% rent).
Middlefield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1961).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Watertown has the most affordable homes ($334k 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 | Bethlehem | Middlefield | Upton | Watertown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,423Lowest |
4,243 |
8,189 |
22,253Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 51.5±8.5 32% above U.S. |
51.6±1.9Highest 33% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
46.3±2.9Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Middlefield and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Watertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Middlefield and Bethlehem 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% |
41.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlefield and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,929±$16k 35% above U.S. |
$99,837±$20kLowest 24% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$101,691±$7k 26% above U.S. |
| Upton and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $410,900±$36k 24% above U.S. |
$376,000±$27k 13% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$333,500±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,127±$124 20% below U.S. |
$3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,275±$227 10% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,932Lowest 90% above U.S. |
$6,853 120% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,014 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.7%±38.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±52.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middlefield and Bethlehem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.9%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Bethlehem 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 | #82 of 149 in CT | #65 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #126 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 14 | Regional School District 13 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Watertown School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Watertown High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.