Compare towns
Windsor vs Upton vs Northbridge vs Dalton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windsor has the most homeowners (96.2%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Northbridge has the youngest population (median age 43.8).
Dalton has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Upton | Northbridge | Dalton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,065Lowest |
8,189 |
16,458Highest |
6,256 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4% MA: +7.4% |
-6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±6.4 12% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.8±2.6Lowest 9% above MA |
49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
| Dalton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.1Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.5% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $115,563±$10k 11% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$111,319±$19k 7% above MA |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
| Upton and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $389,700±$32k 31% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$448,600±$15k 20% below MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599 46% below MA |
$1,207±$102Highest 31% below MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
| Northbridge and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867Lowest 35% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,821 20% below MA |
$4,276 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8 MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19 MA: 51.8% |
| Upton and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
7.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
70.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 6 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 27% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Upton and Windsor 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA | #192 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Northbridge | Central Berkshire |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Northbridge High | Wahconah Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.8Lowest |
10.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.