Compare towns
Lancaster vs Orange vs Upton vs Ware
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%).
Orange has the most affordable homes ($246k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Ware has the shortest commute (28 min average).
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 | Orange | Upton | Ware |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
7,573Lowest |
8,189 |
10,048Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% 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% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Ware 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% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ware 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 30% above MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% 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 |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
$1,043±$109 41% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 21% above MA |
$4,136Lowest 31% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,237 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Ware 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% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ware |
| High school in town | None in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Blackstone Valley | Ware Junior/Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.0Lowest |
11.2Highest |
11.1 |
| 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.