Compare towns
Cornish vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Parsonsfield
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%).
Parsonsfield has the most kids (25% under 18).
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 | Parsonsfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,803 |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
1,715Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.6%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. |
44.3±5.9 14% above U.S. |
| Upton and Parsonsfield 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%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Parsonsfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18%±3.6 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% |
21.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.9Lowest 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±$4kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$72,045±$18k 11% 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. |
$272,100±$21kLowest 18% 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. |
$1,185±$312 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,309Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$2,350 25% 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%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.2%±35Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Parsonsfield and Lancaster 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%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% |
86.4% 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. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 18% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
48 minHighest 83% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.5%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest 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 | — |
| High school 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 |
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.