Compare towns
Lancaster vs Mount Desert vs Upton
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%).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Mount Desert | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
1,671Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Desert 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mount Desert 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. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above 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±$60kLowest 56% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Upton and Mount Desert 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. |
$1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 132% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Mount Desert Public Schools | 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 |
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.