Compare towns
Northbridge vs Upton vs Westminster
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 renters (29.5% rent).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
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 | Westminster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,374 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA |
| Westminster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Westminster 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% |
26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Westminster 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$106,331±$22kLowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Northbridge 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 |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$422,000±$36kLowest 25% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,973 17% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster 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% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2Lowest 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #112 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ashburnham-Westminster |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | Oakmont Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
13.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.