Compare towns
Charlton vs Upton vs Southbridge Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Charlton has the most kids (24.7% under 18).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Southbridge Town has the most renters (57.3% rent).
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 | Charlton | Upton | Southbridge Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,435 |
8,189Lowest |
17,928Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±4 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
40.9±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.7%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
21.9%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Charlton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
19.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Charlton and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $117,587±$8k 13% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$66,287±$8kLowest 36% below MA |
| Upton and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $427,500±$19k 24% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$294,800±$18kLowest 48% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,381±$415Highest 22% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,256±$79 29% below MA |
| Charlton and Southbridge Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,617 23% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,400Lowest 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.3%±9.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
55.8%±8.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Southbridge Town and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
15.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 13%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
4.8%±1.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #133 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #282 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg · Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Distric | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Southbridge |
| High school in town | Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School | Blackstone Valley | Southbridge High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Lowest |
11.2Highest |
9.8 |
| 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.