What stands out worked out from the figures below

Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).

Hartford has the most renters (74.3% 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.

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

Measure	Upton	Hartford
People
Population	8,189Lowest	121,127Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S.	33.1±0.6Lowest 15% below U.S.
Kids under 18	23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22%	22.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Upton and Hartford 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%	12.2%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	19.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	9.2%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S.	$46,411±$3kLowest 43% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S.	$228,600±$8kLowest 31% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S.	$1,269±$25Highest 10% below U.S.
	Hartford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,376Highest 169% above U.S.	$4,603Lowest 48% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hartford and Upton 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%	26.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	25.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S.	1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 34% above U.S.	23 minLowest 13% below U.S.
Work from home	22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#46 of 282 in MA	#146 of 149 in CT
School district	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Judicial Centers
High school in town	Blackstone Valley	Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	15.9Highest
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.