Compare towns
Dracut vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Andover
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dracut has the most affordable homes ($474k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Andover has the most expensive homes ($856k 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 | Dracut | Lancaster | Upton | Andover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 32,574 |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
36,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+10.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.7±2Lowest 4% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.9±1 7% above MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.6%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Andover and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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+ | 36.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
75.6%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,036±$10kLowest 10% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$172,606±$16kHighest 66% above MA |
| Andover and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $473,900±$17kLowest 16% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$855,600±$22kHighest 52% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,839±$130 4% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,201±$129 25% above MA |
| Lancaster and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,375Lowest 10% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
39.7%±7.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.9% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
30.4%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Andover 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #68 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dracut | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | Dracut Senior High | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.