Compare towns
Lancaster vs Wilton vs Upton vs Mendon
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%).
Wilton has the most affordable homes ($382k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Wilton | Upton | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
3,960Lowest |
8,189 |
6,325 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.8±5.2Highest 20% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
44.1±4.4 13% above U.S. |
| Wilton 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 U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Mendon 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% |
22%±6.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wilton 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mendon and Wilton 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. |
$114,349±$21kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$132,256±$33k 64% 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. |
$381,500±$23kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$616,000±$37kHighest 85% above U.S. |
| Mendon 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. |
$1,382±$70 about the U.S. average |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,840±$196 30% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Mendon 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. |
$7,612 144% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,213Lowest 131% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
47.1%±39.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.7%±26Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mendon 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
77%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
30 minLowest 14% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.7%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest 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 | #54 of 120 in NH | #46 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Wilton-Lyndeboro Senior High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.1Lowest |
11.2Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.