Compare towns
Baltic vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Bantam
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Baltic has the most affordable homes ($196k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Bantam 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 | Baltic | Lancaster | Upton | Bantam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,157 |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
810Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.8±15.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
47.2±15.7Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Bantam and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±10.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±6.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±8.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bantam and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bantam and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,958±$47kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% 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 | $196,200±$27kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$317,700±$40k 5% 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 | $1,247±$141 12% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$688±$106Lowest 51% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,799Lowest 22% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,984 28% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.3%±13.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±12.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Bantam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 37.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 6% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 5.2%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.9 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Blackstone Valley | — |
| 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.