Compare towns
Upton vs Northbridge vs Thompson
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 most people working from home (22.8%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Thompson has the most affordable homes ($292k 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.
| Measure | Upton | Northbridge | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
16,458Highest |
9,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
54.1±2.2Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Thompson 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Northbridge and Thompson 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. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$93,629±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Upton and Northbridge 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. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$291,900±$24kLowest 12% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102Highest 15% below U.S. |
$1,012±$344 28% below U.S. |
| Northbridge and Thompson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54%±18.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thompson 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 17% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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 | #226 of 282 in MA | #130 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northbridge | Thompson School District |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Northbridge High | Tourtellotte Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
10.8 |
7.9Lowest |
| 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.