Compare towns
Dunstable vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Tyngsborough
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunstable has the highest household income ($209k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Tyngsborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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 | Dunstable | Lancaster | Upton | Tyngsborough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,408Lowest |
8,606 |
8,189 |
12,550Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.5±2.4 4% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±4.3 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.6%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Tyngsborough and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15%±2.6 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest 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+ | 62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
51.8% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.1%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.1%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Tyngsborough and Dunstable are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $208,512±$23kHighest 101% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$129,348±$18kLowest 24% above MA |
| Dunstable and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $674,000±$30kHighest 20% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$552,500±$34k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,325±$637 25% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,986±$404 13% above MA |
| Lancaster and Tyngsborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,020Highest 51% above MA |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$7,426 24% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±77.1 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
72.2%±22.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Tyngsborough and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
1.4% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
6.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1987Highest 23 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 18% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 20%±3.9 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
18.6%±5.6Lowest 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 | #4 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #174 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Groton-Dunstable | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical · Tyngsborough |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Gr Lowell Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
11.2 |
| 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.