Compare towns
Lancaster vs Woonsocket vs Harvard vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woonsocket has the most renters (62.8% rent).
Harvard has the most expensive homes ($834k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Woonsocket | Harvard | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
43,521Highest |
6,927Lowest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
35.7±1.3Lowest 8% below U.S. |
44.1±4.7 13% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Upton and Harvard 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% |
23.3%±2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Woonsocket and Upton 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% |
14.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
19.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±0.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Woonsocket 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 67% above U.S. |
$61,059±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$311,000±$15kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,161±$48 18% below U.S. |
$1,321±$424 7% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 132% above U.S. |
$3,960Lowest 27% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,376 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
46.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
18.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1952Lowest 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 11% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #37 of 38 in RI | #12 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | RISE Prep Mayoral Academy · Woonsocket | Harvard | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Woonsocket High School | The Bromfield High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.2Highest |
11.0Lowest |
11.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.