Compare towns
Cumberland vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Central Falls
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cumberland has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).
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 | Cumberland | Lancaster | Upton | Central Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 36,820Highest |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
22,701 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.5±1.2 12% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S. |
| Upton and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Central Falls and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.7%±2Lowest 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+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±0.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Central Falls and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $117,522±$8k 46% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$49,285±$8kLowest 39% 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 | $431,000±$15k 30% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$352,100±$30kLowest 6% above 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 | $1,379±$109 about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,200±$75 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,870 56% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,744Lowest 20% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.9%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.8%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.2%±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 | #18 of 38 in RI | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #38 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Prep A RI Mayoral Academy · Cumberland | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning |
| High school in town | Cumberland High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Central Falls Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6 |
— | 11.2Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.