Compare towns
Brookline vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Lee has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% 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 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54kLowest 63% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61kLowest 44% above U.S. |
| Upton and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
— |
| 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 221% above U.S. |
$7,235Lowest 132% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 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 | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Lee 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.