Compare towns
Townsend vs Upton vs Millbury vs Brookline
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).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Millbury has the shortest commute (29 min average).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Upton | Millbury | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100 |
8,189 |
13,961Highest |
5,736Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
42.6±3.1 10% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
| Upton and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline 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. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$118,790±$13kLowest 47% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
| Brookline 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$450,100±$19k 35% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
| Upton and Brookline 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. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,623±$232 15% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 93% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$5,406Lowest 73% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.5%±12.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 9% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±3.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #202 of 282 in MA | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Millbury | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Blackstone Valley | Millbury Junior/Senior High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.2Lowest |
11.3 |
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| 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.