Compare towns
Lancaster vs Marshfield vs Upton vs Leominster
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%).
Marshfield has the most expensive homes ($680k median).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Leominster has the most affordable homes ($380k 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 | Marshfield | Upton | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
25,879 |
8,189Lowest |
43,909Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
45.9±2.6 15% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.3±2.2 8% above MA |
| Upton and Marshfield 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% |
19.6%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Marshfield 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% |
20.2%±2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Marshfield 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% |
52.4% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
33.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Leominster and Marshfield 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 |
$125,986±$8k 21% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$83,816±$7kLowest 19% below 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 |
$680,300±$27kHighest 21% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$380,400±$14kLowest 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,772±$123 about the MA average |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,354±$50 23% below MA |
| Lancaster and Marshfield 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 |
$6,656 11% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,256Lowest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.1%±10.1 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
48.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Marshfield 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% |
8.7% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
80.8% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
35 min 19% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
26 minLowest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
24.8%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Marshfield 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 | #54 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Marshfield | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Leominster |
| High school in town | None in town | Marshfield High | Blackstone Valley | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0 |
11.2Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| 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.