Compare towns
Templeton vs Upton vs Townsend vs Leicester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Templeton has the most affordable homes ($359k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
Leicester has the most homeowners (88.5%).
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 | Templeton | Upton | Townsend | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,252 |
8,189Lowest |
9,100 |
11,113Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±5.1Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
42.4±3.5 6% above MA |
| Upton and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.9 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±3.8Lowest 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+ | 14.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
18.9%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
31% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Leicester and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,154±$15kLowest about the MA average |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$105,173±$9k about the MA average |
| Upton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $358,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$413,100±$23k 27% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$353 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,487±$258Highest 16% below MA |
| Leicester and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,554 24% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$4,452Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.7%±26.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±14.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% below MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.1 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #222 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Narragansett | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | North Middlesex | Leicester |
| High school in town | Narragansett Regional High | Blackstone Valley | North Middlesex Regional | Leicester High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
11.2 |
13.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.