Compare towns
Devens vs Lawrence vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Devens has the most people working from home (28.5%).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
Upton has the most homeowners (86.7%).
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 | Devens | Lawrence | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,723Lowest |
88,736Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Devens and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14%±5 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.9% MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lawrence and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Devens and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $556,800±$96k about the MA average |
$415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Upton and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Lawrence and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,556 7% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.3% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 28.5%±11.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Devens 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 | — | #278 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Lawrence | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | — | Lawrence High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6Highest |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.