Compare towns
Lancaster vs Upton vs North Reading
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
North Reading has the most expensive homes ($711k 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 | North Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
15,765Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43±2.8Lowest 8% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.3%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and North Reading 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%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.7%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5% MA: 47.3% |
56.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| North Reading 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±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$147,768±$25k 42% above MA |
| Upton and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$710,500±$24kHighest 26% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,259±$356 28% above MA |
| Lancaster and North Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$9,693Highest 62% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
75.5%±25.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| North Reading 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%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84.3%Lowest 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 |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
26.1%±4.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and North Reading 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 | #33 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | North Reading |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | North Reading High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.