Compare towns
Upton vs Nelson vs Milford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Milford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Nelson | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189 |
648Lowest |
30,431Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7 9% above U.S. |
38.9±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Milford and Upton 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 93% above U.S. |
$99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
$96,365±$4kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49kLowest about the U.S. average |
$476,700±$12k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,203±$243 15% below U.S. |
$1,909±$137Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,575Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$5,869 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Milford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Nelson 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 | — | #213 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nelson School District | Milford |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Milford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.