Compare towns
Lawrence vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Everett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lawrence has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
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 | Lawrence | Upton | Lancaster | Everett |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 88,736Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
50,045 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.7% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 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+ | 16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below 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 | $415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
| Everett and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
| Lancaster and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$4,880 19% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.6%±3.6 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 21% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lawrence | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Everett |
| High school in town | Lawrence High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Everett High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.6Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— | 12.1 |
| 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.