Compare towns
Lancaster vs Upton vs York
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 highest household income ($156k).
York has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | York |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
13,986Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
49.5±5.2Highest 27% above U.S. |
| York 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 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| York 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lancaster and York 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$121,250±$25kLowest 50% 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±$60kLowest 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$636,400±$30kHighest 91% above U.S. |
| York 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 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,490±$336 5% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,658Lowest 49% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±10.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and York 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% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and York 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 | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
9.6Lowest |
| 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.