Compare towns
Lancaster vs Plympton vs Upton vs Harvard
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 youngest population (median age 43.1).
Plympton has the most homeowners (93.1%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Harvard has the most expensive homes ($834k median).
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 | Plympton | Upton | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
2,935Lowest |
8,189 |
6,927 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.2Highest 16% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Plympton 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% |
22.7%±5Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Plympton 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% MA: 47.3% |
38.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Harvard and Plympton 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 |
$126,736±$20kLowest 22% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$517,800±$52kLowest 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$555±$148Lowest 69% below MA |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
$1,321±$424 25% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 21% above MA |
$6,628Lowest 11% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
50.8%±40.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard 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% |
10.3%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
93.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1 MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Harvard and Lancaster 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 | #110 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Plympton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Highest |
11.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.