Compare towns
Colrain vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Charlemont
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Colrain has the most affordable homes ($284k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Charlemont has the oldest population (median age 59.6).
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 | Colrain | Lancaster | Upton | Charlemont |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,627 |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
1,118Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-6.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±8.7 24% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
59.6±6.7Highest 49% above MA |
| Charlemont and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
7%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.4%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
41.1%±10.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Charlemont and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.3% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
1%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lancaster and Colrain are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,673±$10k 22% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$53,063±$12kLowest 49% below MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $284,300±$14kLowest 49% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$305,500±$52k 46% below MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$77 37% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,023±$126 42% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,317Lowest 28% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,351 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46%±22.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
56.1%±18.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Charlemont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
14.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.5% MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 15% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
16.5%±6.3 MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mohawk Trail | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Hawlemont |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.