Compare towns
Orange vs Royalston vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Royalston has the most homeowners (96%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Orange | Royalston | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,573 |
1,460Lowest |
8,189Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
-0.6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
47.8±14.6Highest 20% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Royalston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±10Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
28.5% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Royalston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$102,109±$8k about the MA average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$346,300±$18k 38% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,650±$412Highest 6% below MA |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
| Royalston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136 31% below MA |
$3,196Lowest 47% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.7%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Royalston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 13% above MA |
38 minHighest 32% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.7%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #275 of 282 in MA | — | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Athol-Royalston | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| 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.