Compare towns
Middleborough vs Upton vs Saugus vs Carver
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleborough has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Saugus has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Carver has the most affordable homes ($434k median).
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 | Upton | Saugus | Carver |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,505 |
8,189Lowest |
28,773Highest |
11,712 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±2.1Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.5±2.5 11% above MA |
45.9±3.5 15% above MA |
| Upton and Carver are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
23%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Carver and Saugus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.4% MA: 47.3% |
28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Saugus and Carver are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,056±$7k 7% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$101,539±$3k about the MA average |
$91,250±$23kLowest 12% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,700±$18k 17% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$603,400±$13kHighest 7% above MA |
$434,200±$21kLowest 23% below MA |
| Saugus and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,706±$72 3% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,241±$201Highest 27% above MA |
$1,827±$345 4% above MA |
| Saugus and Carver are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,023Lowest about the MA average |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,049 about the MA average |
$6,455 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.2%±11.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53%±9.2 MA: 51.8% |
55%±23.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Middleborough and Carver are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.9% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
71.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.3%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
13.9%±4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #170 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #194 of 282 in MA | #237 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleborough | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Saugus | Carver |
| High school in town | Middleborough High | Blackstone Valley | Saugus High | Carver Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
11.2 |
15.5Highest |
9.7Lowest |
| 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.