Compare towns
Windham vs Upton vs Wilbraham vs Amherst
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Upton has the most renters (13.3% rent).
Wilbraham has the most affordable homes ($416k median).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Windham | Upton | Wilbraham | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,038Highest |
8,189Lowest |
14,572 |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.3±2.7 14% above U.S. |
45.9±3.5 18% above U.S. |
| Upton and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilbraham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wilbraham and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$122,051±$14kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$153,196±$10k 90% above U.S. |
| Windham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$416,000±$25kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,175±$241 17% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$6,658Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±23.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.4%±9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Wilbraham and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±5.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Amherst 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #46 of 282 in MA | #88 of 282 in MA | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hampden-Wilbraham | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Blackstone Valley | Minnechaug Regional High | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
11.2 |
14.2Highest |
10.4Lowest |
| 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.