Compare towns
Upton vs Durham vs Prospect 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).
Durham has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Prospect has the most affordable homes ($355k median).
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 | Durham | Prospect | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
7,208Lowest |
9,458 |
16,458Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
45.5±2.8 17% above U.S. |
46.8±3.9Highest 20% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Prospect and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.4%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Prospect 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
47.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Northbridge and Durham 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. |
$158,857±$7kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$126,394±$18k 57% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19kLowest 38% above U.S. |
| Durham 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. |
$424,800±$23k 28% above U.S. |
$355,400±$21kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,154±$448 18% below U.S. |
$1,800±$433Highest 27% above U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,998 156% above U.S. |
$6,504 109% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±28.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.3%±31.8 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Durham 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 | #88 of 149 in CT | #50 of 149 in CT | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Regional School District 13 | Regional School District 16 | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Coginchaug Regional High School | None in town | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
8.9Lowest |
— | 10.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.