Compare towns
Upton vs Stow vs Berlin
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 affordable homes ($577k median).
Stow has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
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 | Stow | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Highest |
7,165 |
3,378Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.9% MA: +7.4% |
+10.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
44.1±4.4Lowest 10% above MA |
49.7±2.8Highest 24% above MA |
| Berlin 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% |
22.3%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Stow 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
30.1%±5.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Berlin 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% |
75.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
48.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Berlin and Stow 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 |
$185,809±$22kHighest 79% above MA |
$121,336±$12kLowest 17% above MA |
| Stow 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±$41kLowest about the MA average |
$729,600±$39kHighest 30% above MA |
$616,600±$55k 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,782±$126 about the MA average |
$2,420±$933Highest 37% above MA |
| Berlin and Stow 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,116Lowest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
59.7%±44.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±19.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Stow 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% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.4% MA: 62.5% |
77.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974Lowest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1992Highest 28 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
34 minLowest 17% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
36.6%±6.2Highest MA: 18.6% |
29.1%±6.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Stow and Berlin 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 | #44 of 282 in MA | #61 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.