Compare towns
Northbridge vs Upton vs Weare
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 renters (29.5% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Weare has the most affordable homes ($396k median).
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 | Weare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
8,189Lowest |
9,170 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
45.6±4 17% above U.S. |
| Upton and Weare 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% |
22.4%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.5%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$118,271±$17k 46% above U.S. |
| Upton and Weare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$396,300±$26kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,541±$214Highest 9% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,272 101% 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% |
62.2%±24.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Weare 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #84 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | John Stark Regional School District · Weare School District |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | John Stark Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
11.4Highest |
| 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.