What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).

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	Rochester
People
Population	8,189Highest	5,837Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA	46.5±6Highest 16% above MA
	Rochester and Upton 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%	20.1%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Upton and Rochester 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%	20.1%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Upton and Rochester 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%	43.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	4%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Rochester 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	$120,273±$12kLowest 16% above MA
	Upton and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$576,700±$41kLowest about the MA average	$599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA
	Rochester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA	$1,432±$743Highest 19% below MA
	Rochester 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	$6,530Lowest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8%	39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Upton and Rochester 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%	5.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%	88.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Lowest 17 yrs newer than MA	1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minLowest 22% above MA	37 minHighest 25% above MA
Work from home	22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%	8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#46 of 282 in MA	#104 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester
High school in town	Blackstone Valley	Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Highest	9.1Lowest
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.