Compare towns
Upton vs Acton vs Milford
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 homeowners (86.7%).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
Milford has the most affordable homes ($465k 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 | Upton | Acton | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
24,155 |
27,731Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
38.5±1.5Lowest 4% below MA |
| Upton and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.3%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$93,310±$5kLowest 10% below MA |
| Acton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$464,700±$12kLowest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,889±$133 7% above MA |
| Acton and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,664Lowest 5% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.7%±8.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Milford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.4% MA: 10% |
8.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
62.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
35 minLowest 19% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
13%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #213 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Acton-Boxborough | — |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.