Compare towns
Pepperell vs Upton vs Windsor Locks vs Hatfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pepperell has the most renters (50.8% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Hatfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Pepperell | Upton | Windsor Locks | Hatfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,971Lowest |
8,189 |
12,579Highest |
3,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±6.3 19% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46.8±5Highest 20% above U.S. |
| Hatfield and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
14%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±4.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hatfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $76,726±$17kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13k about the U.S. average |
$89,005±$25k 10% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $457,300±$40k 37% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$440,800±$26k 32% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,139±$301 19% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,267±$216 10% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Hatfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,871 120% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,930 58% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±20.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.6%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Windsor Locks 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 | #153 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #198 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Windsor Locks School District | Hatfield |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Windsor Locks High School | Smith Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
8.9 |
6.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.