Compare towns
Preston vs Upton vs Northbridge vs Bozrah
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Bozrah has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
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 | Preston | Upton | Northbridge | Bozrah |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,821 |
8,189 |
16,458Highest |
2,293Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.2±7 19% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±7.4Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Bozrah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Preston and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$108,516±$11kLowest 34% above U.S. |
| Upton and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$311,200±$26kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,433±$1kHighest about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,426±$108 about the U.S. average |
| Preston and Bozrah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,749 52% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$4,438Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.6%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.2%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.5%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #93 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Preston School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northbridge | Bozrah School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Northbridge High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.