Compare towns
Gloucester vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Rockport
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Rockport has the most expensive homes ($746k 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 | Gloucester | Upton | Lancaster | Rockport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 30,075Highest |
8,189 |
8,606 |
7,009Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.2±2.3 26% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
59.7±3.3Highest 49% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±1.6 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
13.8%±3.5Lowest 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%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
38.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
55.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±0.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Gloucester and Rockport 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 |
$96,250±$15k 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±$18k 7% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$746,100±$47kHighest 33% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,411±$94 20% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,851±$219 5% above MA |
| Lancaster and Rockport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,152Lowest about the MA average |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$6,215 4% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
71.1%±17Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Rockport and Lancaster 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% |
6.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
68.3% 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 |
1951 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 18% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
30 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22%±5.4 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 | #124 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gloucester | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Rockport |
| High school in town | Gloucester High | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Rockport Middle High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0 |
11.2Highest |
— | 8.3Lowest |
| 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.