Compare towns
Worcester vs Upton vs Stowe
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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Stowe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+21.1%).
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 | Upton | Stowe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 831Lowest |
8,189Highest |
5,285 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+21.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±2.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
46.3±7.6Lowest 19% 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Stowe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Stowe and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±4.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Worcester and Upton 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$93,618±$33k 16% above U.S. |
| Upton and Stowe 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. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$647,800±$157kHighest 95% above U.S. |
| Stowe and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,023±$136 28% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,458±$242Highest 3% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,421Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,161 130% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.5%±37 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.5%±15.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Worcester 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.4%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stowe 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Stowe Town School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Stowe High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
11.3Highest |
| 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.