Compare towns
Webster vs Pepperell vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Webster | Pepperell | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
11,663 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
42.4±3.3 6% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
43.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$124,073±$12k 19% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$482,100±$14k 14% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,295±$238Highest 27% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Pepperell and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$6,698 12% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
34 min 16% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
18.1%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Pepperell 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 | #271 of 282 in MA | #153 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | North Middlesex | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.