Compare towns
Blackstone vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Barre
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).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Barre has the most affordable homes ($394k 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 | Blackstone | Upton | Lancaster | Barre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,255Highest |
8,189 |
8,606 |
5,572Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±1.7 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
43.8±8.5 9% above MA |
| Upton and Barre 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest 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%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
19%±5.6 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
31.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Barre 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 |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$107,727±$13k 4% 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±$34k 28% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$394,300±$55kLowest 30% 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,030±$713 42% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,703 5% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$5,163Lowest 14% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±18.3 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±27.5Lowest 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% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±4.6Lowest 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #134 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone-Millville | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Quabbin |
| High school in town | Blackstone Millville RHS | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Quabbin Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— | 12.9 |
| 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.