Compare towns
Lancaster vs Thomaston 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%).
Thomaston has the most affordable homes ($283k 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 | Thomaston | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
7,492Lowest |
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±4.9 11% above U.S. |
41.5±7.7Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Thomaston 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% |
18.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Thomaston 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. |
$103,218±$15kLowest 28% 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. |
$282,600±$23kLowest 15% below 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. |
$1,037±$147 27% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 132% above U.S. |
$5,915Lowest 90% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.9%±22 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Thomaston 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% |
2.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
77.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.6%±3.7Lowest 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 | #106 of 149 in CT | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Thomaston School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Thomaston High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
11.2Highest |
| 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.