Compare towns
Montague vs Upton vs Deerfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Montague has the most affordable homes ($282k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Deerfield has the shortest commute (18 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 | Montague | Upton | Deerfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,482Highest |
8,189 |
5,158Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±3.1Lowest 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
| Deerfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.5%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Montague and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,510±$12kLowest 32% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$106,136±$14k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,100±$17kLowest 50% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$115 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,334±$318Highest 24% below MA |
| Deerfield and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,922Lowest 35% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.6%±8.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Montague and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 28% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
18 minLowest 40% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Deerfield 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 | #265 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #156 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Deerfield · Frontier |
| High school in town | Franklin County Technical | Blackstone Valley | Frontier Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
11.2 |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.