Compare towns
Windsor Locks vs Northbridge vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Windsor Locks | Northbridge | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,579 |
16,458Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,394±$187Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Windsor Locks and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.2%±16.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Windsor Locks and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Windsor Locks 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 | #109 of 149 in CT | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Windsor Locks School District | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Windsor Locks High School | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.9Lowest |
10.8 |
11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.