Compare towns
Cornish vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Hiram
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Hiram has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | Cornish | Upton | Lancaster | Hiram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
1,748Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±8.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
41.6±10.2 7% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 21%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
25% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.6%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lancaster and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,038±$4k 14% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$62,813±$10kLowest 22% below 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 | $274,200±$84k 18% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$256,600±$42kLowest 23% 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 | $1,196±$148 15% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,070±$161 24% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,309 26% below U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$2,106Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.8%±17.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Hiram are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 18% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
31 min 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.6%±3.4 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | RSU 55/MSAD 55 |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Sacopee Valley High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| 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.