Compare towns
Brookline vs Upton vs Windham vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the oldest housing (typical home built 1975).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Windham has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
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 | Brookline | Upton | Windham | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
8,189Highest |
594 |
831 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
— | $1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.6%±4.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.