Compare towns
Royalston vs Templeton vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Royalston has the most homeowners (96%).
Templeton has the shortest commute (28 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Royalston | Templeton | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
8,252Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.8±14.6Highest 20% above MA |
40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Royalston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.2%±10Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5% MA: 47.3% |
26.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±3.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Royalston and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $102,109±$8k about the MA average |
$101,154±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $346,300±$18kLowest 38% below MA |
$358,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,650±$412Highest 6% below MA |
$1,207±$353 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Royalston and Templeton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,196Lowest 47% below MA |
$4,554 24% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.7%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.7%±26.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
| Royalston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.8%Highest MA: 10% |
10.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
1972Lowest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 38 minHighest 32% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.7%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.9%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Templeton 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 | — | #244 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Athol-Royalston | Narragansett | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Narragansett Regional High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| 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.