Compare towns
Gloucester vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Peabody
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gloucester has the oldest population (median age 50.2).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Peabody has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 | Gloucester | Upton | Lancaster | Peabody |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 30,075 |
8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
54,695Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
| Gloucester and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Gloucester and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Peabody and Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,600±$18kHighest 7% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
| Gloucester and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,411±$94 20% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,950±$99 11% above MA |
| Lancaster and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,152 about the MA average |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
65.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
26 min 11% below MA |
| Work from home | 12.7%±2.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest 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 | #164 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gloucester | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Peabody |
| High school in town | Gloucester High | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— | 10.3 |
| 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.