Compare towns
Upton vs Acton vs Northbridge
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%).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k 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 | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
24,155Highest |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.5±0.8 11% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above 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% |
21.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Acton 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% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Acton and Northbridge 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 |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above 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 |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.9% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1973Lowest 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Acton-Boxborough | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
13.5Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| 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.