Compare towns
Halifax vs Upton vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Halifax has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Halifax | Upton | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 847Lowest |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±7.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Halifax and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above 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 | $267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above 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 | $875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,991Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Halifax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 23% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 29.9%±11.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Halifax 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 |
| School district | Halifax School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.