Compare towns
Union vs Upton vs Putnam vs Stafford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Union has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Putnam has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Stafford has the most affordable homes ($264k median).
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 | Union | Upton | Putnam | Stafford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 944Lowest |
8,189 |
9,292 |
11,511Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 49.9±4.3Highest 28% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.7±3Lowest 12% above U.S. |
46.7±4.8 20% above U.S. |
| Union and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±2.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Union and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Union and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,958±$14k 10% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$70,561±$7kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$93,235±$16k 15% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,400±$26k about the U.S. average |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$269,200±$11k 19% below U.S. |
$263,800±$22kLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,149±$44Highest 19% below U.S. |
$1,086±$85 23% below U.S. |
| Putnam and Stafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,793 54% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,860Lowest 24% above U.S. |
$5,131 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 90%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.5%±12.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Union and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
59.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #128 of 149 in CT | #96 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Union School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Putnam School District | Stafford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Putnam High School | Stafford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
9.5Lowest |
9.8 |
| 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.