Compare towns
Princeton vs Upton vs Harvard
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Princeton has the most affordable homes ($521k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
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 | Princeton | Upton | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,529Lowest |
8,189Highest |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.1±7 15% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.1±4.7Lowest 10% above MA |
| Upton and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.6 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±3.6Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Princeton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.4% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Harvard and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $158,750±$46k 53% above MA |
$155,508±$33kLowest 50% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Harvard and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $520,500±$48kLowest 7% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $897±$852Lowest 49% below MA |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
$1,321±$424Highest 25% below MA |
| Harvard and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,633Lowest 11% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.8%±46.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard and Princeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 25% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 29.5%±6.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #59 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.