Compare towns
Hancock 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
Hancock has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
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.
| Measure | Hancock | Northbridge | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 752Lowest |
16,458Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±11.1Highest 18% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Hancock and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±4.9Lowest 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+ | 27.3%±5.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Hancock and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,250±$26kLowest 7% 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 | $375,500±$21kLowest 33% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,268±$415Highest 28% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Hancock and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,018Lowest 83% below MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±36.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.6%Highest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 25% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.4%±4.3Lowest 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 | — | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hancock | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
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.