Compare towns
Franklin vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Norwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Norwich has the most renters (46.2% rent).
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 | Franklin | Upton | Lancaster | Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,004Lowest |
8,189 |
8,606 |
39,973Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.3±4.3 4% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
38.5±1.7Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Franklin and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 27.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
23.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Norwich and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,000±$10k 30% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$65,024±$5kLowest 19% below 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 | $326,200±$20k about the U.S. average |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$242,300±$11kLowest 27% below 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 | $767±$529Lowest 46% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,253±$68 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,934Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$4,703 51% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.5%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.2%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1957Lowest 23 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 3% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.2%±2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #133 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Franklin School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Norwich School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Norwich Free Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| 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.