Compare towns
Bow vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Pembroke
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the most expensive homes ($577k median).
Pembroke has the most affordable homes ($372k 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 | Bow | Lancaster | Upton | Pembroke |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,335 |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
7,438Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.9±3.3 8% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
24%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow and Pembroke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$89,519±$22kLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Bow and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$371,500±$20kLowest 12% above 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 | $1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,218±$354 14% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$7,235Lowest 132% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$7,589 143% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.4%±21.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
15%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17%±4.8Lowest 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #85 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bow School District | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Pembroke School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Pembroke Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | 11.2Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.