Compare towns
Upton vs Ware vs Worcester vs Hopkinton
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 oldest population (median age 46.4).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Hopkinton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
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 | Ware | Worcester | Hopkinton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
10,048 |
207,055Highest |
19,358 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1% MA: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
40.8±1.6 about the MA average |
| Upton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
29.5%±3.1Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hopkinton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
12.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
77.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$222,801±$22kHighest 114% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$802,700±$39kHighest 43% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$2,641±$361Highest 50% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
64.4%±14.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Hopkinton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
2.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1990Highest 26 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #5 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ware | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Hopkinton |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Ware Junior/Senior High School | South High Community | Hopkinton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
11.1Lowest |
14.6Highest |
14.4 |
| 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.