Compare towns
Hermon vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
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 | Hermon | Lancaster | Upton | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,727Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.7 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
41±2.9Lowest 5% 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 | 21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
25.8%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampden and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hampden and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $96,629±$22kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$111,959±$13k 39% 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 | $333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$301,300±$38kLowest 9% below 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 | $1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,286±$317 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,694 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.2%±19.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.3%±5.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Hermon Public Schools | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Hermon High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
— | 11.2Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.