Compare towns
Upton vs Brookline vs Lancaster 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 kids (23.2% under 18).
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($1247k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Brookline | Lancaster | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
63,266Highest |
8,606 |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
35.2±1.2Lowest 12% below MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
| 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%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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% |
15.8%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10.8%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$142,101±$8k 37% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
| Upton and Brookline 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 |
$1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$2,338±$539 33% above MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
| Brookline and Lancaster 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 |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
46.9%±4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
8.7%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.1%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Brookline 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 | #22 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Nashoba | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | — | None in town | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | — | 10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.