Compare towns
Lancaster vs Worcester vs Upton vs Mendon
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%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k 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 | Worcester | Upton | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
207,055Highest |
8,189 |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
| Upton and Mendon 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% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4 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% MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% 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±$60k 8% below MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| 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 33% above MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
| 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 21% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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 MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | South High Community | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.6Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.