Compare towns
Plympton vs Upton vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Plympton has the most homeowners (93.1%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
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 | Plympton | Upton | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,935Lowest |
8,189 |
16,458Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.2Highest 16% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plympton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $126,736±$20k 22% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
| Upton and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $517,800±$52k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
| Upton and Plympton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
$1,207±$102Highest 31% below MA |
| Northbridge and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,628 11% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±40.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Plympton 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 | #110 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Plympton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northbridge |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.