Compare towns
Ashford vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Sterling
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashford has the most renters (23.2% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
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 | Ashford | Lancaster | Upton | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,226 |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 37.9±10.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ashford and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $121,926±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kLowest 27% 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 | $334,800±$18k about the U.S. average |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below 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 | $1,246±$208 12% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,982 124% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±26 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest 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 | 5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest 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 | #90 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ashford School District | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Sterling School District |
| 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 |
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.