Compare towns
Lancaster vs Brookfield vs Upton vs Bolton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the shortest commute (32 min average).
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Bolton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.7%).
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 | Lancaster | Brookfield | Upton | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
3,460Lowest |
8,189 |
5,737 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+15.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
41.2±1.7Lowest 3% above MA |
| Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
13.4%±4.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
25%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Bolton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3% MA: 47.3% |
28.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$81,250±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$205,449±$31kHighest 98% above MA |
| Bolton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$796,000±$49kHighest 42% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,014±$161 42% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,583±$1k 10% below MA |
| Lancaster and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 21% above MA |
$5,092Lowest 15% below MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±11.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
12.7%±45.6Lowest 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 | 1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
87.5% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
94.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1988Highest 24 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 9% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1 MA: 18.6% |
12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
40.5%±6.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Bolton and Lancaster 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #28 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Brookfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Nashoba Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Lowest |
12.0Highest |
| 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.