Compare towns
Heath vs Upton vs Cummington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Cummington has the oldest population (median age 55.1).
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 | Heath | Upton | Cummington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 765Lowest |
8,189Highest |
902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±11.9 35% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
55.1±6.7Highest 38% above MA |
| Cummington and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
11.6%±4.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
32.2%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Heath and Cummington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
55.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.9%±7.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cummington and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,750±$23kLowest 5% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$104,167±$32k about the MA average |
| Upton and Cummington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$300,600±$32k 47% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Highest 46% below MA |
$825±$365Lowest 53% below MA |
| Upton and Cummington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,438 26% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,875Lowest 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40%±100 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
22.8%±27.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Heath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1940Lowest 24 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minLowest 20% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
39 minHighest 34% above MA |
| Work from home | 31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.9%±10 MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Cummington 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.