Compare towns
Gloucester vs Northbridge vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gloucester has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
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 | Gloucester | Northbridge | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 30,075Highest |
16,458 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Gloucester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Gloucester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,600±$18kHighest 7% above MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Gloucester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,411±$94Highest 20% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,152 about the MA average |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±7.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Gloucester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #164 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gloucester | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Gloucester High | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
10.8 |
11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.