Compare towns
Upton vs Mendon vs Athol
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 people working from home (22.8%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Athol has the most affordable homes ($268k 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 | Mendon | Athol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189 |
6,325Lowest |
12,011Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
41.3±1.9Lowest 3% above MA |
| Upton and Mendon 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% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Mendon 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Athol 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 MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
20.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$69,316±$5kLowest 33% below MA |
| Upton and Mendon 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 |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$268,100±$13kLowest 52% below MA |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,840±$196Highest 4% above MA |
$1,150±$182 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$3,403Lowest 43% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±17.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon and Athol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
16.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1953Lowest 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Mendon 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #256 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton | Athol-Royalston |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Athol High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | 11.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.