Compare towns
Northbridge vs Upton vs Wilbraham vs Whitman
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%).
Wilbraham has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Whitman has the youngest population (median age 40.4).
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 | Wilbraham | Whitman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
8,189Lowest |
14,572 |
15,295 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.3±2.7 11% above MA |
40.4±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Wilbraham 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% |
23.2%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
23%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wilbraham 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% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
51.9% MA: 47.3% |
31.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Wilbraham and Whitman 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 |
$122,051±$14k 17% above MA |
$108,933±$14kLowest 5% above MA |
| Upton and Wilbraham 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 |
$416,000±$25kLowest 26% below MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,175±$241 33% below MA |
$1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,658 11% above MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
53.1%±23.8 MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Wilbraham 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% |
4.6% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
88.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4Lowest 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 | #88 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hampden-Wilbraham | Whitman-Hanson |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | Minnechaug Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Lowest |
11.2 |
14.2Highest |
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| 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.