Compare towns
Lancaster vs Middleton 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%).
Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Middleton | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606 |
9,816Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
43.1±2Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Middleton 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±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
| Middleton 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±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
25.7%±25.3Lowest 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% |
3.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±3.4Lowest 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Middleton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
| 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.