Compare towns
Northbridge vs Upton vs Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Bedford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10%).
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 | Upton | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458 |
8,189Lowest |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
45±2.2 16% above U.S. |
| Upton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
63%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bedford and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$167,418±$12kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$612,100±$26kHighest 84% above U.S. |
| Bedford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,099±$274Highest 49% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$9,803Highest 214% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
59.4%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bedford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bedford 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
13.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.