Compare towns
Oak Bluffs vs Upton vs Mendon vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Oak Bluffs has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Mendon has the most homeowners (86.9%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Oak Bluffs | Upton | Mendon | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,407Lowest |
8,189 |
6,325 |
8,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.6±6.1 9% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
44.1±4.4 10% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| Upton and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 24.5%±7Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Oak Bluffs and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±7.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Oak Bluffs and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $145,196±$37k 40% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$132,256±$33kLowest 27% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
| Upton and Oak Bluffs are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $923,100±$132kHighest 64% above MA |
$576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,099±$666 38% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,845Lowest 19% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.6%±34.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 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 | 2.2% MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 13 minLowest 54% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±6.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest 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 | #111 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Oak Bluffs · Martha's Vineyard | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mendon-Upton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Martha's Vineyard Regional High | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.5Lowest |
11.2Highest |
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| 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.