Compare towns
Quinebaug vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Hampton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Quinebaug has the most affordable homes ($238k median).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Quinebaug | Upton | Lancaster | Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,193Lowest |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
1,647 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 56.5±1Highest 45% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
51.5±5.3 32% above U.S. |
| Quinebaug and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 0%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.7%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Quinebaug and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 10.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,181±$36kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$109,167±$19k 35% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $237,800±$66kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$295,800±$27k 11% below U.S. |
| 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 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,285±$288 9% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,703Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$4,364 40% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.5%±51.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 1.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.3%±17.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Quinebaug 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 | Hampton School District |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.