Compare towns
Canton vs Upton vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Canton | Upton | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,748Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±2.3Lowest 7% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 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+ | 67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Canton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
| Upton and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,560Lowest 9% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest 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 | 5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.7%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Canton 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 | #81 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Canton High | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
11.2Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.