What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Natick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.1%).

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	Natick
People
Population	8,189Lowest	36,873Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+12.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA	43.3±1.4Lowest 8% above MA
	Upton and Natick 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%	21.2%±1.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Upton and Natick 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%	20.4%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Upton and Natick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	53.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%	70.8%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	5%±1Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA	$138,538±$11kLowest 33% above MA
	Upton and Natick 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	$821,000±$25kHighest 46% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA	$2,134±$124Highest 21% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,376Lowest 40% above MA	$8,914Highest 49% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8%	41.7%±6.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Upton and Natick 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%	5.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	68.2%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA	1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 22% above MA	31 minLowest 5% above MA
Work from home	22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	25.1%±1.9Highest MA: 18.6%
	Natick 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	#48 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton	Natick
High school in town	Blackstone Valley	Natick High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	12.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.