Compare towns
Dummerston vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Middlesex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Middlesex has the most homeowners (96.7%).
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 | Dummerston | Upton | Lancaster | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,090 |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
1,943Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
| Upton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,696±$21kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above 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 | $335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% 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 | $1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Middlesex 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| 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.