Compare towns
Calais vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the youngest population (median age 42).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 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 | Calais | Upton | Lancaster | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,713Lowest |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
2,090 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
| Upton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
| Lancaster and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586 111% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest 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 | 8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 18% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Dummerston 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.