Compare towns
Lancaster vs Sharon 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%).
Sharon has the most affordable homes ($476k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | Sharon | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
442Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.4±11.2Highest 27% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Sharon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.4%±8.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sharon 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% |
31.4%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sharon 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% |
41.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.6%±3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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. |
$113,125±$19kLowest 40% 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±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$475,900±$38kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| 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 65% above U.S. |
$1,458±$1k 3% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Lowest 132% above U.S. |
$8,274 165% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.6%±100Lowest 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% |
6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
32 min 21% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.2%±4.5Lowest 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 | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school 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.