Compare towns
Dedham vs Northbridge vs Upton vs Belgrade
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the most kids (23.8% under 18).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 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 | Dedham | Northbridge | Upton | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
16,458Highest |
8,189 |
3,351 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
47.3±14.6Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Belgrade and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±6.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.9%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Belgrade and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Belgrade and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18k 38% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$88,338±$13kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Upton and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33k 7% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$312,200±$44kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$857±$108Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942 26% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$2,859Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
17.2%±35.9 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 | 9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.4%±8.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Belgrade 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 | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Dedham Public Schools | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 18 |
| 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.