Compare towns
Peru vs Upton vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peru has the most affordable homes ($267k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Peru | Upton | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 630Lowest |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.6±4.8Highest 32% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| Peru and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Peru and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Peru and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $90,750±$18kLowest 13% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% 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 | $267,400±$15kLowest 52% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$519,100±$60k 8% 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 | — | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,805Lowest 36% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest 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 | 3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±4.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 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 | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.