Compare towns
Northborough vs Sutton vs Upton vs Holliston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k median).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Holliston has the most people working from home (31.1%).
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 | Northborough | Sutton | Upton | Holliston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,750Highest |
9,452 |
8,189Lowest |
15,094 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+10.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45±3 13% above MA |
44.3±2.5Lowest 11% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.2±1.9 13% above MA |
| Upton and Holliston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Holliston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Holliston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 65.5% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
65.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Northborough and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,199±$19k 47% above MA |
$147,125±$25kLowest 42% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$159,817±$9kHighest 54% above MA |
| Holliston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $620,000±$24k 10% above MA |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$650,300±$20kHighest 16% above MA |
| Holliston and Northborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,919±$269Highest 9% above MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,821±$225 3% above MA |
| Northborough and Holliston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,983 33% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$9,397Highest 57% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.1%±16.3 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
53.5%±20.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Holliston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% MA: 10% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
87.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.5%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
31.1%±3.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Holliston 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 | #35 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #38 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northborough · Northboro-Southboro | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Holliston |
| High school in town | Algonquin Regional High | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | Holliston High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
12.6Highest |
11.2 |
12.4 |
| 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.