Compare towns
Upton vs Waterville 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).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k median).
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 | Waterville | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
17,077 |
30,431Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
35.5±2.5Lowest 9% below U.S. |
38.9±1.8 about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Milford 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
30.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
18.1%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$53,580±$4kLowest 34% below U.S. |
$96,365±$4k 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$184,600±$21kLowest 45% below U.S. |
$476,700±$12k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$978±$72 31% below U.S. |
$1,909±$137Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$2,755Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$5,869 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.5%±8.7Lowest 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% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
65.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
14.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Waterville 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 | #105 of 133 in ME | #213 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Waterville Public Schools | Milford |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Waterville Senior High School | Milford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.