Compare towns
Kingston vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kingston has the most renters (25.6% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Meredith has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Kingston | Lancaster | Upton | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,275Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±5.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1%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 | 3.6%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kingston and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,330±$12k 30% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% 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 | $492,900±$58k 48% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kLowest 44% 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 | $1,393±$156 about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,906 153% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,006Lowest 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.9%±46.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2 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 | 2.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 29% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.7%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Meredith 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Sanborn Regional School District | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Sanborn Regional High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 11.2 |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.