Compare towns
Devens vs Upton vs Mendon vs Bernardston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Bernardston has the most affordable homes ($332k 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 | Devens | Upton | Mendon | Bernardston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
8,189Highest |
6,325 |
2,164 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3 22% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
49±3.2Highest 23% above MA |
| Bernardston and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bernardston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
29.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$81,940±$10kLowest 21% below MA |
| Devens and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$332,000±$15kLowest 41% below MA |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,283±$553 27% below MA |
| Mendon and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556 7% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$4,516Lowest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26 MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
77.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
20 minLowest 33% below MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Devens 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton | Pioneer Valley |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.