Compare towns
Hanson vs Upton vs Brooklyn vs Royalston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanson has the most kids (25% under 18).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Brooklyn has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Royalston has the oldest population (median age 47.8).
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 | Hanson | Upton | Brooklyn | Royalston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,927 |
8,189 |
8,517Highest |
1,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44±4.3Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
47.8±14.6Highest 23% above U.S. |
| Royalston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±10 U.S.: 22% |
| Hanson and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $119,211±$24k 48% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$102,109±$8k 26% above U.S. |
| Upton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $513,000±$55k 54% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$346,300±$18k 4% above U.S. |
| Upton and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
$1,650±$412Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,429 106% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,538 45% above U.S. |
$3,196Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
85.7%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Royalston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 39% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.2%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #149 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Brooklyn School District | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.