Compare towns
Townsend vs Bow vs Upton vs Holbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Holbrook has the oldest housing (typical home built 1957).
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 | Townsend | Bow | Upton | Holbrook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100 |
8,335 |
8,189Lowest |
11,380Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
42.8±3.2 10% above U.S. |
| Upton and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.2%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.1%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$115,210±$14kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Bow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$465,400±$21k 40% above U.S. |
| Upton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,094±$423 23% below U.S. |
| Bow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$6,105 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±18.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 41% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 44% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Bow 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #46 of 282 in MA | #234 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Bow School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Holbrook |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Bow High School | Blackstone Valley | Holbrook Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
12.8 |
11.2Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.