Compare towns
Upton vs Exeter vs Lancaster vs Milford
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 highest household income ($156k).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Milford has the youngest population (median age 38.9).
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 | Exeter | Lancaster | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
16,151 |
8,606 |
30,431Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
38.9±1.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Milford 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Milford 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. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$96,365±$4kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| 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 73% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$476,700±$12k 43% above U.S. |
| 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 33% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,909±$137 35% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Milford 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. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$5,869Lowest 88% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Exeter 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
65.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.5%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #145 of 282 in MA | #213 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Nashoba | Milford |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Exeter High School | None in town | Milford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.1Highest |
— | 11.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.