Compare towns
Lancaster vs Glocester vs Upton vs Bolton
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 shortest commute (32 min average).
Glocester has the most affordable homes ($397k 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 | Glocester | Upton | Bolton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
10,221Highest |
8,189 |
5,737Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
50.8±4.3Highest 31% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
41.2±1.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Glocester 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.8%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Glocester 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% |
35.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Glocester 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 67% above U.S. |
$113,508±$7kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$205,449±$31kHighest 154% above U.S. |
| 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 56% above U.S. |
$396,500±$28kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$796,000±$49kHighest 139% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,417±$627 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,583±$1k 12% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 132% above U.S. |
$5,248Lowest 68% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.5%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
12.7%±45.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Glocester 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% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
34 min 30% above U.S. |
35 min 34% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 39% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.5%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #12 of 38 in RI | #46 of 282 in MA | #28 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Foster-Glocester · Glocester | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | Ponaganset High School | Blackstone Valley | Nashoba Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
11.2Lowest |
12.0 |
| 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.