Compare towns
Lancaster vs Milton vs Upton vs Mendon
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%).
Milton has the most expensive homes ($933k median).
Upton has the oldest population (median age 46.4).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Milton | Upton | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
28,587Highest |
8,189 |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
41.1±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
25.3%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Milton 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 MA: 17.9% |
16.1%±1.8 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest 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% |
71.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Milton and Mendon 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 |
$188,529±$15kHighest 81% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$132,256±$33kLowest 27% above MA |
| Milton 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 |
$933,200±$31kHighest 66% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,474±$281 16% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
| 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 21% above MA |
$9,677Highest 61% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$7,213Lowest 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±20.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
4.7% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.2% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1945Lowest 19 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
31 min 8% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
29.7%±2.9 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Milton 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 | #55 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Milton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Milton High | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Highest |
11.2Lowest |
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| 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.