Compare towns
Cavendish vs Ludlow vs Upton vs Sharon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cavendish has the most affordable homes ($285k median).
Ludlow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Cavendish | Ludlow | Upton | Sharon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,242Lowest |
1,990 |
8,189Highest |
1,577 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±5.9Lowest 16% above U.S. |
52.2±6.2Highest 34% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
45.6±7.7 17% above U.S. |
| Ludlow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.6%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.1%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±6.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ludlow and Cavendish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,063±$29k 10% above U.S. |
$54,885±$14kLowest 32% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$84,375±$17k 5% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $285,100±$40kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$370,200±$46k 11% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$346,700±$37k 4% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,000±$546 29% below U.S. |
$1,112±$151 21% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,386±$155Highest about the U.S. average |
| Sharon and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,948Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$4,890 57% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,903 89% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.9%±27 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.2%±25.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
19.8%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Ludlow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Ludlow 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 | Green Mountain Unified School District #77 | Ludlow Mt. Holly Unified Union School District #83 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sharon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 18 photos → | 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.