Compare towns
Brookfield vs Northbridge vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
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.
| Measure | Brookfield | Northbridge | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460Lowest |
16,458Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161 42% below MA |
$1,207±$102Highest 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Northbridge and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092 15% below MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 11% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
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.