Compare towns
Lancaster vs Salisbury vs Upton vs Devens
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%).
Salisbury has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Salisbury | Upton | Devens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
1,609Lowest |
8,189 |
1,723 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
51.5±4.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
48.6±4.3 25% above U.S. |
| Salisbury and Devens 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% |
20.1%±9.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.9%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
21.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±4.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Devens 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. |
$111,591±$17kLowest 38% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$189,250±$63kHighest 134% above U.S. |
| Devens 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±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$363,400±$47kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$556,800±$96k 67% above U.S. |
| Upton and Devens 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. |
$1,917±$632 36% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,500±$539 6% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 132% above U.S. |
$5,859 88% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,556Lowest 78% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
85.4%±64.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Devens 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
25.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1950Lowest 30 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.3%±10.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.5%±11.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Devens 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 | Merrimack Valley School District | 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 | 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.