Compare towns
Dover vs Northbridge vs Upton vs Keene
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%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k 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 | Dover | Northbridge | Upton | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
16,458 |
8,189Lowest |
22,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest 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. |
37.6±2.3 3% below 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%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest 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% |
19.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Keene 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% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| 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±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below 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. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249 164% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,812 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest 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% |
55.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 14% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest 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 | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dover School District | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Keene School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
12.3 |
| 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.