Compare towns
Hancock vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Russell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hancock has the shortest commute (22 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Russell has the most affordable homes ($303k 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 | Hancock | Lancaster | Upton | Russell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 752Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
1,197 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.1±11.1 18% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
47.7±7.6Highest 19% above MA |
| Russell and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±4.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
10.4%±4Lowest 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+ | 27.3%±5.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.8%±2.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hancock and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±3.5 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Russell and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,250±$26kLowest 7% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$108,750±$24k 5% above 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 | $375,500±$21k 33% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$303,300±$32kLowest 46% below MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,268±$415 28% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,013±$330 43% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,018Lowest 83% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,104 15% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.1%±36.3 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
25.6%±20.5Lowest 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 | 10.6%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
6.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 25 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 25% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.4%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
9.2%±4.3Lowest 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Hancock | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.