Compare towns
South Hadley vs Upton vs Hudson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Hadley has the most affordable homes ($358k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Hudson has the most renters (26.8% 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 | South Hadley | Upton | Hudson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,754 |
8,189Lowest |
20,077Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.6Lowest 7% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.9±1.7 7% above MA |
| Upton and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.3%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Hudson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| South Hadley and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.2% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 18.7%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,910±$15kLowest 10% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$103,400±$13k about the MA average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,900±$19kLowest 36% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$496,800±$22k 12% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$54 25% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,406±$82Highest 20% below MA |
| Hudson and South Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,500Lowest 8% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,892 15% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.7%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
40.8%±8.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and South Hadley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 3 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 19% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.3%±4.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
19.6%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Hudson 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 | #216 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #224 of 282 in MA |
| School district | South Hadley | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hudson |
| High school in town | South Hadley High | Blackstone Valley | Hudson High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.6Lowest |
11.2Highest |
10.2 |
| 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.