Compare towns
Ashfield vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Leverett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashfield has the most affordable homes ($401k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Leverett has the shortest commute (27 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 | Ashfield | Lancaster | Upton | Leverett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,893 |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
1,608Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.6±3.4Highest 47% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
56±6.4 40% above MA |
| Ashfield and Leverett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.7%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.7%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
34.8%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Leverett and Ashfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16kLowest 22% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$104,688±$18k about the MA average |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,600±$30kLowest 29% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$435,500±$35k 23% below MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$200 38% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,389±$135 21% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,197Lowest 13% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,779 13% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.5%±34 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
73.3%±6.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Leverett and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.1% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
10%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
87.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 minLowest 9% below MA |
| Work from home | 24%±6 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±5 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Leverett 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Leverett |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.