Compare towns
Upton vs Windham vs Northbridge vs Grafton
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).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($354k median).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Grafton has the youngest population (median age 41.1).
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 | Windham | Northbridge | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
594Lowest |
16,458 |
19,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4 14% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
41.1±1.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Upton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windham 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Grafton 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 93% above U.S. |
$94,500±$12kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$131,484±$11k 63% above U.S. |
| Upton and Grafton 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. |
$353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$525,300±$37k 58% above U.S. |
| Upton and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
— | $1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$1,504±$169Highest 6% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,951 91% above U.S. |
$4,821Lowest 55% above U.S. |
$7,117 128% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±12.5 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% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Grafton 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 | #67 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Northbridge | Grafton |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | — | Northbridge High | Grafton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
— | 10.8Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.