Compare towns
Northbridge vs Gardner vs Upton vs Millbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Millbury has the shortest commute (29 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 | Northbridge | Gardner | Upton | Millbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,458 |
21,148Highest |
8,189Lowest |
13,961 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.6±3.1Lowest 7% above MA |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9% MA: 47.3% |
23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$118,790±$13k 14% above MA |
| Upton and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$450,100±$19k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,109±$51 37% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,623±$232Highest 8% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821 20% below MA |
$4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,406 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
49.7%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% MA: 10% |
13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5% MA: 62.5% |
58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.8%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #273 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #202 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Gardner | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Millbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Gardner High | Blackstone Valley | Millbury Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
13.5Highest |
11.2 |
11.3 |
| 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.