Compare towns
Holyoke vs Millis vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holyoke has the most affordable homes ($274k median).
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Holyoke | Millis | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 37,813Highest |
8,888 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
54.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Millis and Holyoke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,605±$3kLowest 48% below MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $274,100±$8kLowest 51% below MA |
$603,500±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,021±$60 42% below MA |
$1,696±$279Highest 4% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,065Lowest 32% below MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.7%±5.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 27%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 41.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 34% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Millis 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 | #281 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Holyoke · Springfield | Millis | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Holyoke High | Millis High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
10.7Lowest |
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.