Compare towns
Bethlehem vs Upton vs Watertown vs Middlefield
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).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Watertown has the most affordable homes ($334k median).
Middlefield has the oldest housing (typical home built 1961).
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 | Upton | Watertown | Middlefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,423Lowest |
8,189 |
22,253Highest |
4,243 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 51.5±8.5 32% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
46.3±2.9Lowest 19% above U.S. |
51.6±1.9Highest 33% 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±4.1Lowest 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% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±7.2Highest 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.4Highest 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$101,691±$7k 26% above U.S. |
$99,837±$20kLowest 24% 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$333,500±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$376,000±$27k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,127±$124 20% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,275±$227 10% below U.S. |
$3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,932Lowest 90% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,014 93% above U.S. |
$6,853 120% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.7%±38.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.6%±13.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±52.1Highest 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 10% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.9%±4.1 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #126 of 149 in CT | #65 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 14 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Watertown School District | Regional School District 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Watertown High School | None in town |
| 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.