Compare towns
Madison vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Conway
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madison has the most homeowners (94.4%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Conway has grown the fastest since 2010 (+96.2%).
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 | Madison | Upton | Lancaster | Conway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,680Lowest |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
3,879 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+96.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±9.7 29% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
54.2±10.7Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Conway and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.1%±6.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.1%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
36%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
38% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8%±6.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Conway and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,697±$11k 27% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$59,167±$18kLowest 27% below 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 | $388,700±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$264,900±$41kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,556±$256 10% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,041±$185 26% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,074 31% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$3,531Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 69.2%±46Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
53%±18.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Madison and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
70.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 16% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.6%±11 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #76 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Madison School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.