Compare towns
Townsend vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Holbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Holbrook has the oldest housing (typical home built 1957).
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 | Townsend | Lancaster | Upton | Holbrook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,100 |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
11,380Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
42.8±3.2 7% above MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±4.4 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.2 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+ | 35.5% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$115,210±$14kLowest 11% 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 | $433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$465,400±$21k 17% 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 | $1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,094±$423 38% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Lowest about the MA average |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$6,105 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
47.8%±18.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1957Lowest 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 min 27% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
35 min 22% above MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.1%±3.3 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #234 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Holbrook |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Holbrook Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | 11.2Lowest |
14.3Highest |
| 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.