Compare towns
Upton vs Gray vs Sturbridge vs Lancaster
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).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Sturbridge has the oldest population (median age 47.2).
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 | Gray | Sturbridge | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
8,429 |
9,960Highest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Sturbridge 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% |
19%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Sturbridge 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. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sturbridge 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. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% 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. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Gray 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% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #89 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
12.5Highest |
7.7Lowest |
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| 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.