Compare towns
Blackstone vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Millville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Blackstone has the most renters (26.8% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Millville has the most homeowners (86.9%).
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 | Blackstone | Lancaster | Upton | Millville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,255Highest |
8,606 |
8,189 |
3,160Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7 8% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
46±2.2 15% above MA |
| Upton and Millville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.8%±4 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.7%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest 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+ | 31.9% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Millville and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $94,191±$21kLowest 9% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$127,188±$32k 22% 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 | $404,400±$34kLowest 28% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$444,600±$25k 21% 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 | $1,189±$85 33% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,468±$234 17% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,703 5% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,327Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
36.2%±24.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
4.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%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 |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest 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 | #207 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #180 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Blackstone-Millville |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
— |
| 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.