Compare towns
Upton vs Rowley vs Millis 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 people working from home (22.8%).
Rowley has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Millis has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Rowley | Millis | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
1,708Lowest |
8,888 |
16,458Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
46.3±16.7 16% above MA |
46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±6.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
23.3%±4.8 MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Millis and Rowley 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% |
57.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.5% MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.4%±5.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Millis 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 |
$109,622±$17kLowest 5% above MA |
$155,996±$9kHighest 50% above MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$614,800±$39kHighest 9% above MA |
$603,500±$31k 7% above MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
| Rowley and Millis 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 |
$1,663±$674 6% below MA |
$1,696±$279Highest 4% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
| Millis and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$6,865 15% above MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
46.3%±45.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Millis 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% |
6.1% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
25 minLowest 15% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Millis 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 | #214 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Millis | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | — | Millis High School | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
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.