Compare towns
Salisbury vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Canaan
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Salisbury has the most expensive homes ($764k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Canaan has the most affordable homes ($204k median).
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 | Salisbury | Lancaster | Upton | Canaan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,224 |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
961Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±9.9 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
38.6±11.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
28.2%±12Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Canaan and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28.1%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.7%±6.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
11.1%±10.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Canaan and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $124,256±$26k 54% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$48,214±$38kLowest 40% below 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 | $763,700±$121kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$204,200±$105kLowest 39% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,846±$736 31% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,588±$618 12% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,125 64% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,371Lowest 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.2%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±77.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canaan and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
20.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 28%±8 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±11.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Salisbury 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 | #19 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Salisbury School District | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | — |
| 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.