Compare towns
North Brookfield vs Upton vs Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
North Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($359k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Barre has the youngest population (median age 43.8).
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 | North Brookfield | Upton | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,760Lowest |
8,189Highest |
5,572 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.2±9.4 13% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.8±8.5Lowest 9% above MA |
| Upton and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Barre and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,285±$11kLowest 24% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$107,727±$13k 4% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $359,100±$32kLowest 36% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$394,300±$55k 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $981±$63 44% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,030±$713Highest 42% below MA |
| Barre and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,176Lowest 30% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,163 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±15.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 28% above MA |
35 minLowest 22% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and North Brookfield 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 | #270 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Brookfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Quabbin |
| High school in town | North Brookfield High | Blackstone Valley | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 5.5Lowest |
11.2 |
12.9Highest |
| 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.