Compare towns
Townsend vs Upton vs Worcester vs Freetown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Worcester | Freetown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100 |
8,189Lowest |
207,055Highest |
9,285 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3 about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
40.9±3.2 about the MA average |
| Upton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.8%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
40% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$143,884±$15k 38% above MA |
| Upton and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$518,200±$30k 8% below MA |
| Upton and Freetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,891±$363Highest 7% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031 about the MA average |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$5,188 13% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
39.2%±12.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
7.7%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #136 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #161 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Freetown-Lakeville |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | Blackstone Valley | South High Community | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
11.2Lowest |
14.6Highest |
— |
| 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.