What stands out worked out from the figures below

Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).

Hamden has the most affordable homes ($298k 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.

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

Measure	Upton	Hamden
People
Population	8,189Lowest	61,045Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.1% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S.	38.7±0.9Lowest about the U.S. average
Kids under 18	23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22%	17%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Upton and Hamden 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%	47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	15%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S.	$98,306±$7kLowest 22% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S.	$298,200±$9kLowest 10% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S.	$1,746±$50Highest 24% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,376Highest 169% above U.S.	$7,784Lowest 150% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1%	50.9%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Upton and Hamden 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%	9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	62.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 34% above U.S.	22 minLowest 17% below U.S.
Work from home	22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	16.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Upton and Hamden 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	#122 of 149 in CT
School district	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services
High school in town	Blackstone Valley	Hamden High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.