Compare towns
Upton vs Dracut vs Lancaster vs Northbridge
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 highest household income ($156k).
Dracut has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
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 | Dracut | Lancaster | Northbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
32,574Highest |
8,606 |
16,458 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
41.7±2Lowest 4% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
43.8±2.6 9% above MA |
| Upton and Northbridge 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% |
21.4%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Dracut 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 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.4%±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+ | 53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
36.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
36.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Dracut and Northbridge 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 |
$114,036±$10k 10% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$111,319±$19kLowest 7% 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 |
$473,900±$17k 16% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$448,600±$15kLowest 20% 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 | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,839±$130 4% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,207±$102 31% below MA |
| Lancaster and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$5,375 10% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Dracut are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
7.8% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.8% MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
31 min 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.2%±3.6 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 | #201 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #226 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Dracut | Nashoba | Northbridge |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Dracut Senior High | None in town | Northbridge High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
12.9Highest |
— | 10.8Lowest |
| 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.