Compare towns
Lancaster vs Halifax vs Upton vs Harvard
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 renters (14.9% rent).
Halifax has the most affordable homes ($268k median).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Harvard has the most expensive homes ($834k 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 | Halifax | Upton | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
847Lowest |
8,189 |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
40.6±13.1Lowest 4% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
| Upton and Harvard 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% |
25.4%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Halifax 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% |
22.6%±7.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Halifax 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% |
44.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Harvard and Lancaster 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. |
$63,889±$7kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$267,500±$21kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$875±$154Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$948±$599 33% below U.S. |
$1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 132% above U.S. |
$4,991Lowest 60% 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%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard 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% |
6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.9%±11.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Harvard 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Halifax School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.