Compare towns
Northbridge vs Upton vs Wakefield vs Millbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Upton | Wakefield | Millbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,458 |
8,189Lowest |
27,793Highest |
13,961 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
42.6±3.1 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Lowest 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9 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% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
59.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Millbury and Wakefield 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 7% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$118,790±$13k 14% above MA |
| Upton and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$723,500±$24kHighest 29% above MA |
$450,100±$19k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,623±$232 8% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,779 30% above MA |
$5,406 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9 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%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
75.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
33 min 14% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.8%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield 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 | #179 of 282 in MA | #202 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical · Wakefield | Millbury |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | Northeast Metro Regional Vocational | Millbury Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8 |
11.2 |
10.7Lowest |
11.3Highest |
| 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.