Compare towns
Conway vs Northbridge vs Upton vs Whately
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Conway has the most people working from home (29.1%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Conway | Northbridge | Upton | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,755 |
16,458Highest |
8,189 |
1,499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.6±3Highest 39% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
49.3±6.7 23% above MA |
| Conway and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest 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+ | 31.9%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Conway and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
47.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Conway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,250±$11kLowest 6% below MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$116,563±$15k 12% above MA |
| Upton and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $395,900±$25kLowest 30% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$990Highest about the MA average |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$977±$125 45% below MA |
| Conway and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,797 3% below MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,027 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.9%±33.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29 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 | 4.4% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
88.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 18% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 29.1%±8.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Conway 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 | Conway | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Whately |
| 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 |
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.