What stands out worked out from the figures below

Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).

New Bedford has the most renters (59.7% 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	New Bedford
People
Population	8,189Lowest	100,998Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA	37±0.8Lowest 8% below MA
Kids under 18	23.2%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4%
	New Bedford and Upton 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%	15.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Upton and New Bedford 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%	17%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±0.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	New Bedford 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 50% above MA	$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average	$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA	$1,137±$26Highest 35% below MA
	New Bedford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,376Highest 40% above MA	$4,338Lowest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8%	52.6%±3.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Upton and New Bedford 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%	20.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 22% above MA	25 minLowest 15% below MA
Work from home	22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%	5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#46 of 282 in MA	#263 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton	New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Blackstone Valley	New Bedford High
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Lowest	13.5Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.