Compare towns
Upton vs Strafford vs Middlesex vs Milford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Strafford has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Milford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Strafford | Middlesex | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
1,372Lowest |
1,943 |
30,431Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7Highest 32% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
38.9±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Strafford 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 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Strafford 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Strafford 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 93% above U.S. |
$110,833±$19k 37% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$96,365±$4kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$431,300±$40k 30% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$476,700±$12k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789 20% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,909±$137Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,149 129% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$5,869Lowest 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Milford 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Upton 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 | — | — | #213 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Strafford School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Milford |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town | Milford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | — | 11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.