Compare towns
Clinton vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Bolton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Clinton has the most renters (45.3% rent).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Bolton has the most expensive homes ($796k median).
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 | Clinton | Upton | Lancaster | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,563Highest |
8,189 |
8,606 |
5,737Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+15.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.6±2.7Lowest 4% below MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
41.2±1.7 3% 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 | 17.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
25%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Bolton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±3.2 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+ | 36.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Clinton and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,781±$10kLowest 14% below MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$205,449±$31kHighest 98% above MA |
| Bolton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $387,300±$19kLowest 31% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$796,000±$49kHighest 42% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$76 20% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,583±$1k 10% below MA |
| Lancaster and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,654Lowest 22% below MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±6.4 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
12.7%±45.6Lowest 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 | 8.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
94.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest about the MA average |
35 min 22% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.2%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1 MA: 18.6% |
40.5%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Bolton and Lancaster 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 | #246 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #28 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Clinton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Clinton Senior High | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Nashoba Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— | 12.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.