Compare towns
Lisbon vs Northbridge vs Upton vs Preston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($316k median).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Lisbon | Northbridge | Upton | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,211Lowest |
16,458Highest |
8,189 |
4,821 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±5.2 14% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±6.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Preston and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,708±$12kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
| Upton and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,700±$26kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,044Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lisbon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #102 of 149 in CT | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Lisbon School District | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Preston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.