Compare towns
Worcester vs Northbridge vs Upton vs St. George
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most affordable homes ($271k median).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
St. George has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
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 | Worcester | Northbridge | Upton | St. George |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 831 |
16,458Highest |
8,189 |
812Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.8±2.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.7±13.4 15% above U.S. |
| Worcester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
25.6%±7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| St. George and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±3.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and St. George are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $73,833±$18kLowest 9% below U.S. |
$111,319±$19k 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$109,464±$34k 36% 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 | $271,100±$27kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$448,600±$15k 35% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$376,800±$50k 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
$1,207±$102 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,394±$132Highest about the U.S. average |
| St. George and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$4,821 55% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,514 77% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.2%±9.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
96%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| St. George and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| St. George and Worcester 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 | — | #226 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Northbridge | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Northbridge High | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.8Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.