Compare towns
Upton vs Bow vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% 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.
| Measure | Upton | Bow | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
8,335 |
16,458Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow 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 93% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19kLowest 38% above U.S. |
| Bow 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±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15kLowest 35% above U.S. |
| Upton and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 169% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Bow School District | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Bow High School | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
12.8Highest |
10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.