Compare towns
Sutton vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Leicester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sutton has the most affordable homes ($231k median).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Leicester has the oldest population (median age 48.8).
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 | Sutton | Upton | Lancaster | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 790Lowest |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-10% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.6±5.7 20% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48.8±3.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Leicester and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
14.9%±5.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±6.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Leicester and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.6Lowest 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 | $71,250±$18k 12% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$70,417±$30kLowest 13% 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 | $231,100±$41kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$309,700±$107k 7% 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. |
$1,098±$300 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,975 27% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$3,822Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±31.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±40.4Lowest 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 | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
28 minLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.6%±5.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.7%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | Kingdom East Unified Union School District #64 | 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 | 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.