Compare towns

Griswold 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

Griswold has the most affordable homes ($276k median).
Northbridge has the youngest population (median age 43.8).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).

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.

MeasureGriswoldNorthbridgeUpton
People
Population
11,530
16,458Highest
8,189Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
+4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.1%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
48.1±3.9Highest
24% above U.S.
43.8±2.6Lowest
13% above U.S.
46.4±4.8
19% above U.S.
Griswold and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
18.5%±3.7Lowest
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+
17.8%±3.5
U.S.: 17.2%
16.4%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
20.7%±4.9Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Upton and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
19.9%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
36.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
53.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
1.8%±1.1Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.3%±1.3Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
2.4%±1.3
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
$78,719±$11kLowest
about the U.S. average
$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
$275,900±$42kLowest
17% below U.S.
$448,600±$15k
35% above U.S.
$576,700±$41kHighest
73% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,177±$65
17% below U.S.
$1,207±$102Highest
15% below U.S.
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
Northbridge and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$4,628Lowest
48% above U.S.
$4,821
55% above U.S.
$8,376Highest
169% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
57.5%±15.5Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
51.2%±9.8Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
52.8%±31
U.S.: 51.1%
Griswold and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
7.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
7.9%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
3.2%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
73.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
70.5%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1977
3 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
31 minLowest
17% above U.S.
31 minLowest
17% above U.S.
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
Work from home
9%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
16.2%±3.6
U.S.: 15.1%
22.8%±5.3Highest
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 #118 of 149 in CT #226 of 282 in MA #46 of 282 in MA
School district Griswold School District Northbridge Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton
High school in town Griswold High School Northbridge High Blackstone Valley
Students per teacherat that high school
11.5Highest
10.8Lowest
11.2
On TownTapestry
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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.