Compare towns
Holbrook vs Upton vs Charlton vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holbrook has the oldest housing (typical home built 1957).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Charlton has the shortest commute (33 min average).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Holbrook | Upton | Charlton | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,380 |
8,189Lowest |
13,435Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.2 7% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43±4 8% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
24.7%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Charlton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18%±2.8 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.6% MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Charlton and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,210±$14kLowest 11% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$117,587±$8k 13% above MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
| Upton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $465,400±$21k 17% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$427,500±$19kLowest 24% below MA |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,094±$423 38% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,381±$415 22% below MA |
$1,469±$313Highest 17% below MA |
| Townsend and Charlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,105 about the MA average |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,617Lowest 23% below MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±18.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.3%±9.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.9% MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 30% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
33 minLowest 13% above MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
13%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #234 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #133 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holbrook | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dudley-Charlton Reg · Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School Distric | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Holbrook Middle High School | Blackstone Valley | Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
11.2 |
9.7Lowest |
13.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.