Compare towns
Hadley vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hadley has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Boylston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Hadley | Lancaster | Upton | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,306 |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
4,948Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±7.1 15% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
| Boylston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±4.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6 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+ | 24.2%±4.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Hadley and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.9%±5.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Hadley and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $119,259±$12kLowest 15% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$140,962±$28k 36% above MA |
| Upton and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $511,000±$43kLowest 9% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average |
| Boylston and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$132 20% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,032±$350 15% above MA |
| Lancaster and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,271Lowest 12% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,266 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 38.6%±18.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
6.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 33% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
27 min 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3 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 | #116 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hadley | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Hopkins Academy | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.3Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
11.1 |
| 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.