Compare towns
Bow vs Northbridge 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
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Upton has the most expensive 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 | Bow | Northbridge | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335 |
16,458Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
| Bow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Upton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bow School District | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Bow High School | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.