Compare towns
Casco vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Poland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Casco has the oldest population (median age 52).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Poland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.9%).
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 | Casco | Lancaster | Upton | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,696Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
5,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±3.3Highest 34% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.2±9.4 14% above U.S. |
| Casco and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±7.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Casco and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Casco and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,313±$19kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$85,557±$23k 6% 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 | $355,500±$58k 7% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$283,600±$44kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$184 about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,198±$128 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,085 about the U.S. average |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$2,774Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±35.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.6%±30.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.6%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±10.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Casco 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| 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.