Compare towns
Casco vs Upton vs Lancaster 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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Upton | Lancaster | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,696Lowest |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
5,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52±3.3Highest 34% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% 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. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,198±$128 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,085 about the U.S. average |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$2,774Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±35.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 15% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 26.6%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | 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.