Compare towns
Bath vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Ryegate
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Ryegate has the most affordable homes ($219k 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 | Bath | Lancaster | Upton | Ryegate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,097 |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
1,059Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
41.2±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Bath and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±1.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lancaster and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22k 16% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$66,484±$15kLowest 18% below 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 | $234,400±$23k 30% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$219,300±$32kLowest 34% 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 | $1,438±$309 about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$908±$236Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413 41% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,472Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±29.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Ryegate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
14.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1949Lowest 31 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 3% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.2%±3.7Lowest 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 | Bath School District | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | None 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.