Compare towns

Upton vs Webster vs Woonsocket vs Northbridge

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 most people working from home (22.8%).
Webster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.9%).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).

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.

MeasureUptonWebsterWoonsocketNorthbridge
People
Population
8,189Lowest
12,228
43,521Highest
16,458
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+6.9%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+5%
U.S.: +7.4%
+4%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
46.4±4.8Highest
19% above U.S.
37.2±2.1
4% below U.S.
35.7±1.3Lowest
8% below U.S.
43.8±2.6
13% above U.S.
Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
23.2%±4.5
U.S.: 22%
21.8%±3.6
U.S.: 22%
23.3%±2Highest
U.S.: 22%
21.1%±2.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Woonsocket 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
U.S.: 17.2%
15.7%±2.5
U.S.: 17.2%
14.7%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
16.4%±2.1
U.S.: 17.2%
Upton and Northbridge 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%
18.8%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
19.8%
U.S.: 35.7%
36.9%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.4%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
6%±1.8Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.1%±0.9
U.S.: 6.4%
4.3%±1.3
U.S.: 6.4%
Webster and Woonsocket 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.
$63,837±$8k
21% below U.S.
$61,059±$5kLowest
24% below U.S.
$111,319±$19k
38% above U.S.
Upton and Northbridge 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.
$333,100±$14k
about the U.S. average
$311,000±$15kLowest
7% below U.S.
$448,600±$15k
35% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$948±$599Lowest
33% below U.S.
$1,198±$85
15% below U.S.
$1,161±$48
18% below U.S.
$1,207±$102Highest
15% below U.S.
Northbridge and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,376Highest
169% above U.S.
$3,234Lowest
4% above U.S.
$3,960
27% above U.S.
$4,821
55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.8%±31Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.1%±7.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
46.7%±5.4
U.S.: 51.1%
51.2%±9.8
U.S.: 51.1%
Upton and Northbridge 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%
16%
U.S.: 12.5%
18.7%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
7.9%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.7%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
45.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
37.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
70.5%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1954
26 yrs older than U.S.
1952Lowest
28 yrs older than U.S.
1973
7 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
28 minLowest
4% above U.S.
29 min
11% above U.S.
31 min
17% above U.S.
Work from home
22.8%±5.3Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
7.1%±2.9
U.S.: 15.1%
6.4%±1.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
16.2%±3.6
U.S.: 15.1%
Upton and Northbridge 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 #271 of 282 in MA #37 of 38 in RI #226 of 282 in MA
School district Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton — RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket Northbridge
High school in town Blackstone Valley — Woonsocket High School Northbridge High
Students per teacherat that high school
11.2
—
15.2Highest
10.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
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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.