What stands out worked out from the figures below

Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).

Sheffield has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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	Sheffield
People
Population	8,189Highest	3,330Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	46.4±4.8Lowest 16% above MA	48.2±8Highest 21% above MA
	Sheffield 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%	13.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	20.7%±4.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	23.2%±5.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Sheffield 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%	37.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.2%±4.5Highest MA: 7.9%
	Sheffield 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	$92,120±$31kLowest 11% below MA
	Upton and Sheffield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average	$409,400±$32kLowest 27% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA	$1,837±$1kHighest 4% above MA
	Sheffield 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	$4,520Lowest 25% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8%	29.2%±21.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Upton and Sheffield 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%	6.4%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	82.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA	1975Lowest 11 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 22% above MA	21 minLowest 29% below MA
Work from home	22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6%	8.5%±5.2Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#46 of 282 in MA	#250 of 282 in MA
School district	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton	Southern Berkshire
High school in town	Blackstone Valley	Mt Everett Regional
Students per teacherat that high school	11.2Highest	7.8Lowest
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.