What stands out worked out from the figures below

Boxford has the most expensive homes ($907k median).

Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Boxford	Upton
People
Population	8,208Highest	8,189Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.1±3.6Highest 23% above MA	46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA
	Boxford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	23.7%±5Highest MA: 19.4%	23.2%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Boxford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.2%±4.5Highest MA: 17.9%	20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Boxford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	70.9%Highest MA: 47.3%	53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%	2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Boxford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$200,871±$21kHighest 93% above MA	$155,508±$33kLowest 50% above MA
	Boxford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA	$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$776±$13Lowest 56% below MA	$948±$599Highest 46% below MA
	Upton and Boxford 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	$8,376Lowest 40% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.2%±60.6Highest MA: 51.8%	52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Boxford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.1%Lowest MA: 10%	3.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.9%Highest MA: 62.5%	86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 15 yrs newer than MA	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 7% above MA	35 minHighest 22% above MA
Work from home	21.6%±5.9Lowest MA: 18.6%	22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%
	Upton and Boxford 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	#34 of 282 in MA	#46 of 282 in MA
School district	Boxford · Masconomet	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton
High school in town	Masconomet Regional High School	Blackstone Valley
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Highest	11.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.