Compare towns
Dudley vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Oxford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dudley has the most renters (26.9% rent).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Oxford has the most affordable homes ($375k 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 | Dudley | Upton | Lancaster | Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,929 |
8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
13,385Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.2±2.4Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
42±2.8 5% 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 | 20.6%±3.3 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.6%±2.7Lowest 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+ | 24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
29.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.1%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $84,604±$12kLowest 19% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$103,862±$10k about the MA average |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,600±$19k 30% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$374,900±$18kLowest 33% 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 | $1,217±$182 31% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,177±$142 33% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,691Lowest 38% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$4,622 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±4.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.8%±15.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
82.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
28 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 9.1%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±4.3 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 | #142 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #245 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Dudley-Charlton Reg | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Oxford |
| High school in town | Shepherd Hill Regional High | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Oxford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.3Highest |
11.2 |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| 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.