Compare towns
Dover vs Northbridge vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
Northbridge has the oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
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 | Dover | Northbridge | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,458 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest 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 | 8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Dover 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dover School District | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.