Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Northbridge vs Upton vs Hermon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Northbridge has the oldest housing (typical home built 1973).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Ellsworth | Northbridge | Upton | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657 |
16,458Highest |
8,189 |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% 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 | 18.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ellsworth and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ellsworth and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% 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 | $242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195 28% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,406±$202Highest about the U.S. average |
| Hermon and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 5% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 5 photos → | 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.