Compare towns
Northbridge vs Upton vs West Newbury
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 most kids (23.2% under 18).
West Newbury has the most expensive homes ($808k 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 | West Newbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
8,189 |
4,591Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
49.5±3Highest 24% above MA |
| West Newbury and Upton 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% |
19.6%±3.9Lowest 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%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.3%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| West Newbury and Upton 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 MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
64.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and West Newbury 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±$33k 50% above MA |
$179,500±$27kHighest 73% above MA |
| West Newbury 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 20% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$808,200±$47kHighest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,675±$674Highest 5% below MA |
| West Newbury and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$9,240Highest 54% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
80.4%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Newbury 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 MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.6%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
95.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
24.5%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
| West Newbury 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 | #86 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Pentucket |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | Pentucket Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.