Compare towns
Lancaster vs Mendon vs Upton vs Woonsocket
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%).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
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 | Mendon | Upton | Woonsocket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
6,325Lowest |
8,189 |
43,521Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below 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%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket 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% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Woonsocket 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. |
$132,256±$33k 64% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below 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. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below 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. |
$1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below 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. |
$7,213 131% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest 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% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #37 of 38 in RI |
| School district | Nashoba | Mendon-Upton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Woonsocket High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Lowest |
15.2Highest |
| 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.