Compare towns
Middleborough vs Northbridge vs Upton vs Dracut
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
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 | Middleborough | Northbridge | Upton | Dracut |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,505 |
16,458 |
8,189Lowest |
32,574Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±2.1 9% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
41.7±2Lowest 4% above MA |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
| Middleborough and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dracut and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,056±$7kLowest 7% below MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$114,036±$10k 10% above MA |
| Upton and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,700±$18k 17% below MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$473,900±$17k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,706±$72 3% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,839±$130Highest 4% above MA |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,023 about the MA average |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,375 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.2%±11.4 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±7.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Dracut and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.9% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.6%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #170 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #201 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleborough | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dracut |
| High school in town | Middleborough High | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | Dracut Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
12.9Highest |
| 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.