Compare towns
Upton vs Brookfield vs Lancaster vs Millis
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($339k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Brookfield | Lancaster | Millis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
1,486Lowest |
8,606 |
8,888Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
47±5.9Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.4±3 19% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest 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+ | 20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Millis and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23kLowest 22% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,996±$9kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Millis and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$603,500±$31kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Millis and Upton 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. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,696±$279 20% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 169% above U.S. |
$4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$9,344Highest 200% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.5%±16.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
31 minLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Brookfield 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 | #63 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Nashoba | Millis |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town | Millis High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | — | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.