Compare towns
Upton vs Dummerston vs Lancaster vs Sutton
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Dummerston has the most affordable homes ($335k median).
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 | Dummerston | Lancaster | Sutton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
2,090Lowest |
8,606 |
9,452Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
| Upton and Dummerston 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% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Dummerston 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% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Upton 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% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sutton 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 93% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$335,300±$22kLowest about the U.S. average |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton 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. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 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 | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Dummerston 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 | #105 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Nashoba | Sutton |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town | Sutton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | — | 12.6Highest |
| 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.