Compare towns
Shirley vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Shirley has the most renters (22.6% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Shirley | Lancaster | Upton | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,976Lowest |
8,606 |
8,189 |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.3±3.4 11% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±5.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.7% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Shirley and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $122,365±$16k 18% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$121,528±$23kLowest 17% 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 | $427,600±$36kLowest 24% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$433,200±$22k 23% 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 | $1,481±$421 16% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
| Lancaster and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,156Lowest 14% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.1%±21.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Shirley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
8.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 39% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
37 min 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 21%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest 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 | #239 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ayer Shirley School District | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Blackstone Valley | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.