Compare towns
Orange vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Wendell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most renters (30% rent).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Wendell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
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 | Orange | Upton | Lancaster | Wendell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,573 |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±2.2Lowest 4% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
47.1±8.8Highest 18% above MA |
| Wendell and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
16%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.7%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Wendell and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
51.2% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Wendell and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$65,288±$14k 37% 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 | $245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$290,300±$31k 48% below MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$948±$599 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,239±$519 30% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,136Lowest 31% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$4,519 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.6%±40.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Wendell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
21.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
33 min 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 6.6%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.8%±7.8 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 | #275 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | New Salem-Wendell |
| High school in town | Ralph C Mahar Regional | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.0Lowest |
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.