Compare towns
Mendon vs Spencer vs Lancaster vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Spencer has the most affordable homes ($382k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Mendon | Spencer | Lancaster | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,325Lowest |
12,008Highest |
8,606 |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
48.9±6.8Highest 22% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
| Spencer and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest 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+ | 14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Spencer and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.9% MA: 47.3% |
29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
$80,533±$11kLowest 23% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% 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 | $616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
$382,000±$22kLowest 32% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
| Mendon and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$1,078±$161 39% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,213 20% above MA |
$4,387Lowest 27% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±10.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 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 | 7.1% MA: 10% |
11%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 4% above MA |
34 min 18% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
| Work from home | 15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
15%±7.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 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 | #210 of 282 in MA | #261 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mendon-Upton | Spencer-E Brookfield | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | David Prouty High | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| 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.