Compare towns
Quinebaug vs Upton vs Wilbraham vs Thompson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Quinebaug has the most affordable homes ($238k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Wilbraham has the youngest population (median age 44.3).
Thompson has the most renters (15.7% 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 | Quinebaug | Upton | Wilbraham | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,193Lowest |
8,189 |
14,572Highest |
9,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 56.5±1Highest 45% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.3±2.7Lowest 14% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2 39% above U.S. |
| Quinebaug and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 0%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Quinebaug and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 10.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilbraham and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,181±$36k 30% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$122,051±$14k 51% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Upton and Wilbraham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $237,800±$66kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$416,000±$25k 25% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24k 12% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,175±$241Highest 17% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344 28% below U.S. |
| Wilbraham and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,703Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,658 113% above U.S. |
$3,822 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±23.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson and Wilbraham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.3%±17.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Quinebaug and Upton 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #88 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hampden-Wilbraham | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Minnechaug Regional High | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
14.2Highest |
7.9Lowest |
| 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.