Compare towns
Upton vs Sutton vs Needham vs Millis
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($523k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k 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 | Sutton | Needham | Millis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
9,452 |
32,459Highest |
8,888 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.3±2.5 11% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Needham and Upton 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% |
18.8%±3.2 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Millis 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% |
52.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Needham 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 |
$147,125±$25kLowest 42% above MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$155,996±$9k 50% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$523,100±$47kLowest 7% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$603,500±$31k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,190±$401 32% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,696±$279 4% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$6,763Lowest 13% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$9,344 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.5%±24.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Millis and Needham 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% |
5.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% MA: 62.5% |
89.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #105 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sutton | Needham | Millis |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Sutton High School | Needham High | Millis High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
12.6Highest |
11.9 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.