Compare towns
Sheffield vs Upton vs New Marlborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sheffield has the most affordable homes ($409k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
New Marlborough has the most people working from home (32.3%).
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 | Sheffield | Upton | New Marlborough |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,330 |
8,189Highest |
1,501Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.2±8 21% above MA |
46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA |
52.5±4Highest 31% above MA |
| New Marlborough and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.8%±5.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and New Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±5.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
28.1%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| New Marlborough and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
47.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±4.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Sheffield and New Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,120±$31kLowest 11% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$117,188±$38k 13% above MA |
| Upton and New Marlborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,400±$32kLowest 27% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$608,300±$91kHighest 8% above MA |
| New Marlborough and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,837±$1k 4% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,750±$2kHighest 56% above MA |
| New Marlborough and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,520Lowest 25% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,689 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
25%±82.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
94.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 29% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8.5%±5.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
32.3%±7.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| New Marlborough 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 | #250 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Southern Berkshire | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Southern Berkshire |
| High school in town | Mt Everett Regional | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.8Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.