Compare towns
Upton vs Peabody vs Needham vs Northbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Peabody has the most renters (34.4% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Northbridge has the most affordable homes ($449k 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 | Peabody | Needham | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
54,695Highest |
32,459 |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
| Upton and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Needham 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 MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody 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% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$5,065 15% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Needham 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% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
70.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Peabody | Needham | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Needham High | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
10.3Lowest |
11.9Highest |
10.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.