Compare towns
Upton vs Amesbury vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
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 | Upton | Amesbury | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
17,403Highest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.7±1.7 9% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| Upton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 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+ | 53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Amesbury and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
$134,833±$27k 30% 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 | $576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
| Upton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,360 23% above MA |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Amesbury | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Amesbury High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
10.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.