Compare towns
Boxborough vs Millis vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boxborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
Millis has the oldest housing (typical home built 1974).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Boxborough | Millis | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,496Lowest |
8,888Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.7±1.6Lowest 7% above MA |
46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 80.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.5% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Boxborough and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $144,611±$35kLowest 39% above MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $706,900±$72kHighest 26% above MA |
$603,500±$31k 7% above MA |
$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,887±$173Highest 7% above MA |
$1,696±$279 4% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Boxborough and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,344 56% above MA |
$8,376Lowest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.8%±22.7 MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Millis and Boxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.8%±6.9 MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Boxborough 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 | #31 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | Millis | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Millis High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.