Compare towns
Lancaster vs Upton vs Bourne vs Harvard
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 affordable homes ($519k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Harvard has the most expensive homes ($834k 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 | Upton | Bourne | Harvard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
8,189 |
20,323Highest |
6,927Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+5.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
52±1.8Highest 30% above MA |
44.1±4.7 10% above MA |
| Bourne and Upton 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
46%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.8%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Harvard 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 |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$91,058±$7kLowest 12% below MA |
$213,996±$24kHighest 106% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$833,600±$54kHighest 48% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,379±$300 22% below MA |
$1,321±$424 25% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$4,485Lowest 25% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5 MA: 51.8% |
72.5%±51.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Harvard 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 MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
6.2%Highest MA: 10% |
4.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
75.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
44.8%±6.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Harvard and Lancaster 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 | #206 of 282 in MA | #12 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Harvard |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | The Bromfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
9.8Lowest |
11.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → |
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.