Compare towns
Windham vs Wilbraham vs Upton 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%).
Wilbraham has the most affordable homes ($416k median).
Upton has the most renters (13.3% rent).
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 | Wilbraham | Upton | Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,038Highest |
14,572 |
8,189Lowest |
11,861 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.3±2.7 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% 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%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Wilbraham 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% |
23%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 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% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$122,051±$14kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% 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. |
$416,000±$25kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$537,600±$30k 62% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,175±$241 17% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,462±$256 3% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,658Lowest 113% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$9,773 213% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±23.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 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% |
4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1966Lowest 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 17% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 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 | #88 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #20 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Hampden-Wilbraham | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Minnechaug Regional High | Blackstone Valley | Souhegan Coop High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
14.2Highest |
11.2 |
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.