Compare towns
Whitman vs Upton vs Northbridge vs Dudley
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitman has the oldest housing (typical home built 1957).
Upton has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Dudley has the most affordable homes ($393k median).
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 | Whitman | Upton | Northbridge | Dudley |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,295 |
8,189Lowest |
16,458Highest |
11,929 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Whitman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$392,600±$19kLowest 30% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,771±$151Highest about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
$1,217±$182 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 about the MA average |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
$3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±13.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Whitman and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.4% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 24% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #191 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #142 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Whitman-Hanson | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northbridge | Dudley-Charlton Reg |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Northbridge High | Shepherd Hill Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
10.8Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.