Compare towns
Upton vs Mendon vs Reading
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 affordable homes ($577k median).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Reading has the most people working from home (30.2%).
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 | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189 |
6,325Lowest |
25,612Highest |
| 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 |
43.7±2.3Lowest 9% 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%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2Lowest 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% |
20.7%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$132,256±$33kLowest 27% above MA |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
| Reading 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±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$1,991±$273Highest 13% above MA |
| Reading and Mendon 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 |
$7,213Lowest 20% above MA |
$9,320Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon 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 MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Reading and Upton 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 | #50 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.