Compare towns
Lancaster vs Suffield vs Upton vs Windsor
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%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($305k 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 | Suffield | Upton | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
15,702 |
8,189Lowest |
29,468Highest |
| 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. |
44.5±1.7 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.7±1.9 12% above U.S. |
| Upton and Suffield 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% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Windsor 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% |
40.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor and Suffield 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. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$104,725±$8kLowest 30% 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. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$305,200±$11kLowest 8% below 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. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,681±$62 19% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 132% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,351Lowest 72% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±10.9Lowest 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% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±3.2Lowest 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA | #117 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Nashoba | Suffield School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Suffield High School | Blackstone Valley | Windsor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
11.2Highest |
10.2Lowest |
| 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.