Compare towns
Lancaster vs Upton vs Rowley
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).
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k 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 | Rowley |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
8,189 |
6,251Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
| Rowley and Upton 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% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Rowley 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% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.6%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Upton 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% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley 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 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$132,734±$32kLowest 28% above 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±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
| Rowley and Upton 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
| Lancaster and Rowley 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 |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$8,309 39% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Rowley 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% |
3.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
81.7%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 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
28 minLowest 3% below MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4Lowest 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Triton |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.