Compare towns
Meriden vs Upton vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meriden has the most affordable homes ($241k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Berlin has the shortest commute (21 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 | Meriden | Upton | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 60,545Highest |
8,189Lowest |
20,361 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 38.9±1.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
48.7±3Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Berlin and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Berlin and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,253±$4kLowest 12% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$113,598±$11k 41% above U.S. |
| Upton and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $241,200±$7kLowest 28% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$374,600±$13k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,294±$72 8% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,402±$88Highest about the U.S. average |
| Berlin and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,129Lowest 64% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,291 134% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±4.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.4%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Berlin and Meriden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.4%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Berlin 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 | #124 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #73 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Meriden School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Berlin School District |
| High school in town | Francis T. Maloney High School | Blackstone Valley | Berlin High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.2Highest |
11.2Lowest |
11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.