Compare towns
Waltham vs Upton vs Addison vs Rupert
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Waltham has the most affordable homes ($330k median).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Rupert has the most homeowners (93.7%).
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 | Waltham | Upton | Addison | Rupert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 452Lowest |
8,189Highest |
1,175 |
676 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 60.8±7.3Highest 56% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
53.1±7.6 37% above U.S. |
57.8±9.7 49% above U.S. |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 45.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.1%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
42.3%±8.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Waltham and Rupert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Addison and Waltham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,500±$14k 21% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$106,667±$7k 32% above U.S. |
$88,229±$36kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,700±$51kLowest about the U.S. average |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$362,200±$23k 9% above U.S. |
$362,500±$63k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,096±$113 22% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,019±$461Highest 43% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,714 83% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,831 87% above U.S. |
$4,594Lowest 47% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±58.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±62.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 5% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±9.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Waltham 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 | — | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | — |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.