What stands out worked out from the figures below

Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).

Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Upton	Ashland
People
Population	8,189Lowest	18,873Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA	42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA
	Upton and Ashland 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%	18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Upton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9%	18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Upton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	60.7%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.4%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	Ashland and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA	$127,539±$11kLowest 23% above MA
	Upton and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average	$611,700±$18kHighest 9% above MA
	Ashland and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA	$2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,376Highest 40% above MA	$7,444Lowest 24% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8%	55.2%±14.2Highest MA: 51.8%
	Ashland 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%	3.5%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	75.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 17 yrs newer than MA	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minLowest 22% above MA	37 minHighest 26% above MA
Work from home	22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%	22.7%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Upton and Ashland 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	#46 of 282 in MA	#42 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton	Ashland
High school in town	Blackstone Valley	Ashland High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	14.0Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.