What stands out worked out from the figures below

Upton has the highest household income ($156k).

North Adams has the most affordable homes ($196k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Upton	North Adams
People
Population	8,189Lowest	12,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	-5.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA	44.1±3.5Lowest 10% above MA
	Upton and North Adams 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%	15.7%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	21.6%±2.6Highest MA: 17.9%
	North Adams 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%Highest MA: 47.3%	28.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	9.8%±2Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA	$47,500±$7kLowest 54% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average	$195,900±$14kLowest 65% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$948±$599Highest 46% below MA	$793±$113Lowest 55% below MA
	Upton and North Adams 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	$3,078Lowest 49% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8%	63.7%±11Highest MA: 51.8%
	North Adams 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%	18.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	51%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	17 minLowest 40% below MA
Work from home	22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%	9.2%±3.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#46 of 282 in MA	#268 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton	North Adams · Northern Berkshire Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	Blackstone Valley	Charles McCann Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Highest	10.6Lowest
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.