Compare towns
Salisbury vs Upton vs Lancaster
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Salisbury | Upton | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,224Lowest |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±9.9 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Salisbury 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest 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% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lancaster and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,256±$26kLowest 54% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% 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 | $763,700±$121kHighest 130% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kLowest 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,846±$736 31% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% 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 | $5,125Lowest 64% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.2%±11.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest 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 | 4.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28%±8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Salisbury School District | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None 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 |
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.