Compare towns
Carmel vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Hermon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Carmel | Lancaster | Upton | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,941Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 17.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hermon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% 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 | $256,800±$37kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32k 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 | $1,276±$187 10% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$2,761 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2 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 | #77 of 133 in ME | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.