Compare towns
Middleton vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Dighton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the most expensive homes ($743k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Dighton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.3%).
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 | Middleton | Lancaster | Upton | Dighton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,816Highest |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
8,193 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+14.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2 8% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.7±2.9Lowest 7% above MA |
| Upton and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Dighton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±3.5Lowest 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+ | 41.7% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Dighton and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33k 50% above MA |
$136,646±$19k 31% above MA |
| Middleton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$501,900±$47kLowest 11% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,405±$192 20% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376 40% above MA |
$6,452Lowest 8% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
11.8%±16.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
2.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
90.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
11%±3.9Lowest 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 | #71 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #85 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Bristol County Agricultural · Dighton-Rehoboth |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Bristol County Agricultural High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Lowest |
11.9Highest |
| 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.