Compare towns
Brookline vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Boston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most expensive homes ($1247k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Boston has the most renters (64.3% rent).
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 | Brookline | Lancaster | Upton | Boston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 63,266 |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
666,442Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.2±1.2 12% below MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±1.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13%±0.3Lowest 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+ | 85.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $142,101±$8k 37% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$97,344±$2kLowest 6% below MA |
| Upton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,246,800±$67kHighest 122% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$731,700±$10k 30% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,835±$82Highest 61% above MA |
$2,338±$539 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,147±$25 22% above MA |
| Brookline and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$4,456Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±1.2 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 | 8.7% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
16.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 46.9% MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1947 17 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 7% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 30.1%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
21.3%±0.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Brookline 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 | #22 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #258 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Boston Latin School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Lowest |
18.7Highest |
| 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.