Compare towns
Lancaster vs York 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
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
York has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
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 | York | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606 |
13,986Highest |
8,189Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.5±5.2Highest 27% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% 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% |
21.1%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest 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% |
27.9%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 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% |
53.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest 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. |
$121,250±$25kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% 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. |
$636,400±$30kHighest 91% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% 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. |
$1,490±$336 5% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below 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. |
$4,658Lowest 49% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±10.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest 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% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26%±3.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest 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 | #13 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | York Public Schools | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | York High School | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6Lowest |
11.2Highest |
| 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.