Compare towns
Dalton vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Dalton | Lancaster | Upton | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,256 |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
5,719Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.7±5.8 24% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
| Lee and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.6%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lee and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Lee and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$83,750±$13k 19% 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 | $295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$352,700±$19k 37% 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 | $872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,276 29% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±19Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1959 5 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 24% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±7.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8 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 | #192 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #209 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Central Berkshire | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Lee |
| High school in town | Wahconah Regional High | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Lee Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9 |
— | 11.2Highest |
9.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 20 photos → |
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.