Compare towns
Brookfield vs Northbridge vs Upton vs Lincoln
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 most people working from home (27.3%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Lincoln has the shortest commute (30 min average).
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 | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
16,458Highest |
8,189 |
1,394Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
45.7±3.6 17% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Northbridge and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$96,667±$18kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$365,200±$30k 10% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102Highest 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$870±$47Lowest 38% below U.S. |
| Northbridge and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,100 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.1%±25.5 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 | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.8%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Upton 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 | — | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Lincoln Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.