Compare towns
Ipswich vs Lancaster vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ipswich has the most expensive homes ($745k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Ipswich | Lancaster | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,930Highest |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47.2±3.5Highest 18% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Ipswich and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest 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+ | 21.9%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Ipswich and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Ipswich and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $138,750±$16k 33% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| Upton and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $745,400±$40kHighest 33% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,598±$90 9% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,960 33% above MA |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±12.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 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 | 5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.9%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±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 | #101 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ipswich | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Ipswich High | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.