Compare towns
Cornwall vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornwall has the most homeowners (94.3%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($307k 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 | Cornwall | Upton | Lancaster | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
1,200Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.4±4.6 30% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
50.6±6.5Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±6.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
34.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cornwall and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,583±$32k 42% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$99,688±$21kLowest 23% 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 | $458,000±$49k 38% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$306,900±$51kLowest 8% 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 | $1,125±$206 20% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,443±$984 about the U.S. average |
| Lancaster and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,726 116% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$4,842Lowest 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±65.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.9%±22.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Cornwall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.4%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Cornwall 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 | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | 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.


