Compare towns
Lancaster vs Chaplin vs Upton vs Mendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Chaplin has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k 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 | Lancaster | Chaplin | Upton | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
2,070Lowest |
8,189 |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
43.7±4.8 12% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Chaplin 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.1%±6.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Chaplin and Mendon 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 67% above U.S. |
$97,846±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% 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 | $519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$255,200±$24kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,473±$275 4% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 132% above U.S. |
$4,524Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,213 131% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.6%±27.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
32 min 23% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±10 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Chaplin School District · Regional School District 11 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Parish Hill High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.5Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.