Compare towns
Boston vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Milton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k 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 | Boston | Lancaster | Upton | Milton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 666,442Highest |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
28,587 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
41.1±1.8 about the MA average |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Milton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8 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+ | 54.9% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
71.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
| Milton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,147±$25 22% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,474±$281 16% below MA |
| Lancaster and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$9,677Highest 61% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±1.2 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 17 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
| Work from home | 21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Milton 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 | #258 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #55 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Milton |
| High school in town | Boston Latin School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Milton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 18.7Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
12.4 |
| 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.