Compare towns
Brookfield 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
Brookfield has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
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 | Brookfield | Northbridge | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,706Highest |
16,458 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±1.8 14% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $148,360±$11k 84% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $479,700±$24k 44% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,892±$183Highest 34% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,594 143% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13.1Lowest 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 | 4.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 7% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.3%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Brookfield 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 | #67 of 149 in CT | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield School District | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Brookfield High School | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.