Compare towns
Arundel vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Lyman
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arundel has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lyman has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
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 | Arundel | Lancaster | Upton | Lyman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,418Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
4,612 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±6.4Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
53.8±2Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyman and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
25.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Arundel and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,597±$17k 26% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$87,284±$14kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $421,300±$62k 27% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$360,400±$44kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$495 14% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,063±$522 25% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,763 21% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$2,717Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.7%±44.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster 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 | #7 of 133 in ME | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #40 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 21 | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
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| 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.