Compare towns
Upton vs Whately vs Williamsburg vs Northbridge
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 highest household income ($156k).
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Williamsburg has the most people working from home (26.5%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% 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.
| Measure | Upton | Whately | Williamsburg | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
1,499Lowest |
2,694 |
16,458Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
49.3±6.7 23% above MA |
50±2.4Highest 25% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
| Williamsburg and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.6%±4 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Northbridge 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% |
24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±3.5 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Whately and Williamsburg 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% |
47.6% MA: 47.3% |
60.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±2.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Williamsburg and Northbridge 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 50% above MA |
$116,563±$15k 12% above MA |
$104,792±$21kLowest about the MA average |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
| Upton and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$431,500±$22k 23% below MA |
$403,100±$37kLowest 28% below MA |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$977±$125 45% below MA |
$1,420±$228Highest 19% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
| Williamsburg and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,027 16% below MA |
$5,761 4% below MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61%±28Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Williamsburg and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% MA: 62.5% |
88.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.2% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
25 min 13% below MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5 MA: 18.6% |
26.5%±6.7Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Williamsburg 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 | — | — | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Whately | Williamsburg | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | — | 10.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.