Compare towns

Upton vs Belchertown 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 people working from home (22.8%).
Belchertown has the most affordable homes ($371k median).
Milford has the most renters (37.8% rent).

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.

MeasureUptonBelchertownMilford
People
Population
8,189Lowest
15,393
27,731Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.1%
MA: +7.4%
+4.8%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+7.6%Highest
MA: +7.4%
Median age
46.4±4.8Highest
16% above MA
43.9±1.6
10% above MA
38.5±1.5Lowest
4% below MA
Upton and Belchertown 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%
19.5%±2.9Lowest
MA: 19.4%
21%±2.5
MA: 19.4%
Upton and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
20.7%±4.9
MA: 17.9%
21%±2.4Highest
MA: 17.9%
18.3%±2.1Lowest
MA: 17.9%
Belchertown and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
53.5%Highest
MA: 47.3%
47.3%
MA: 47.3%
32.6%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.4%±1.3Lowest
MA: 7.9%
6.7%±1.8Highest
MA: 7.9%
3.9%±1.1
MA: 7.9%
Belchertown 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±$33kHighest
50% above MA
$108,068±$15k
4% above MA
$93,310±$5kLowest
10% below MA
Upton and Belchertown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$576,700±$41kHighest
about the MA average
$371,300±$12kLowest
34% below MA
$464,700±$12k
17% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$948±$599Lowest
46% below MA
$1,292±$230
27% below MA
$1,889±$133Highest
7% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,376Highest
40% above MA
$5,810
3% below MA
$5,664Lowest
5% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.8%±31Lowest
MA: 51.8%
57.4%±21.8Highest
MA: 51.8%
56.7%±8.4
MA: 51.8%
Belchertown and Milford 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%
8.5%Highest
MA: 10%
8.4%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.7%
MA: 62.5%
87.1%Highest
MA: 62.5%
62.2%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1981
17 yrs newer than MA
1984Highest
20 yrs newer than MA
1969Lowest
5 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
35 min
22% above MA
29 minLowest
about the MA average
37 minHighest
27% above MA
Work from home
22.8%±5.3Highest
MA: 18.6%
14%±3.3
MA: 18.6%
13%±2.4Lowest
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #46 of 282 in MA #168 of 282 in MA #213 of 282 in MA
School district Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton Belchertown —
High school in town Blackstone Valley Belchertown High —
Students per teacherat that high school
11.2Lowest
11.9Highest
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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.