Compare towns
Newfields vs Upton vs Gardner vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Newfields | Upton | Gardner | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,023Lowest |
8,189 |
21,148Highest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Upton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$67,518±$8kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$301,600±$20kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,109±$51 22% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$4,150Lowest 33% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
49.7%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1954Lowest 26 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 min 16% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Newfields and Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newfields School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Gardner | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Gardner High | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
13.5Highest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.