Compare towns
Ashland vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Foxborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Foxborough has the shortest commute (29 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 | Ashland | Lancaster | Upton | Foxborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 18,873Highest |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
18,615 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+10.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.4±1.9 6% above MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22%±3.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±2.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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+ | 60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
58.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Ashland and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $127,539±$11k 23% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$115,833±$9kLowest 11% above MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $611,700±$18kHighest 9% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$606,300±$28k 8% above MA |
| Ashland and Foxborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
$2,338±$539 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,843±$70 5% above MA |
| Ashland and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,444 24% above MA |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,275 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.2%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54%±13.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3% MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 26% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 22.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
17.8%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #42 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #138 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashland | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Foxborough |
| High school in town | Ashland High | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Foxborough High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
11.3 |
| 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.