Compare towns
Lancaster vs Dalton vs Upton
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 most people working from home (33.6%).
Dalton has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
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 | Lancaster | Dalton | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
6,256Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
-6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Dalton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.6%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Dalton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Dalton 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% |
44.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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 |
$79,438±$8kLowest 24% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
| 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 8% below MA |
$295,700±$26kLowest 47% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$872±$70Lowest 51% below MA |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 21% above MA |
$4,276Lowest 29% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
41.2%±19Lowest 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 | 1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
22 minLowest 24% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±7.1Lowest 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #192 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Central Berkshire | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Wahconah Regional High | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Lowest |
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.