Compare towns
Fitzwilliam vs Northbridge vs Upton vs New Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fitzwilliam has the most affordable homes ($306k median).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Fitzwilliam | Northbridge | Upton | New Durham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,278Lowest |
16,458Highest |
8,189 |
2,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±4.2Highest 26% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
46.5±7.5 20% above U.S. |
| Fitzwilliam and New Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest 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+ | 27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Fitzwilliam and New Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
34.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Northbridge and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,735±$11k 25% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$100,194±$13kLowest 24% 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 | $305,900±$34kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$339,400±$27k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,417±$116Highest about the U.S. average |
| New Durham and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,173 66% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,774 85% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 72.1%±51.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±42.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Fitzwilliam and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 49% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
35 min 31% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.6%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Fitzwilliam 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 | — |
| School district | Monadnock Regional School District | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
11.2Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.