Compare towns
Lancaster vs Sterling vs Upton vs Wareham
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%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k 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 | Sterling | Upton | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
8,183Lowest |
8,189 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
51.5±1.8 29% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Sterling 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% |
18.6%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
22.9%±4 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wareham and Sterling 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% |
48.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wareham and Sterling 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 |
$129,063±$27k 24% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% 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 |
$498,800±$48k 11% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% 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 |
$1,699±$161 4% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Lancaster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 21% above MA |
$6,757 13% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
46%±23.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3 MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
6% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.3% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.3%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest 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 | #135 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Wachusett | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Wareham |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Highest |
8.6Lowest |
| 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.