Compare towns
Upton vs Gloucester vs Lancaster vs Milford
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).
Gloucester has the shortest commute (24 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Milford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Gloucester | Lancaster | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
30,075 |
8,606 |
30,431Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
50.2±2.3Highest 26% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
38.9±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Gloucester 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 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
20.7%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
27.9%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Gloucester 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
40.3% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
35.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.2%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.9%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Milford and Gloucester 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 |
$83,883±$6kLowest 19% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$96,365±$4k 7% below 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±$41k about the MA average |
$600,600±$18kHighest 7% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$476,700±$12kLowest 15% below MA |
| Gloucester and Upton 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 |
$1,411±$94 20% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,909±$137 8% above MA |
| Lancaster and Milford 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 |
$6,152 about the MA average |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$5,869Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.1%±7.1 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
56.8%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
9.6%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
63.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
65.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 22% above MA |
24 minLowest 18% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
12.7%±2.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.5%±2.2 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 | #164 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #213 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Gloucester | Nashoba | Milford |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Gloucester High | None in town | Milford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
10.0Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
| 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.