Compare towns
Upton vs Lancaster vs Boxford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Boxford has the most expensive homes ($907k median).
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 | Lancaster | Boxford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
49.1±3.6Highest 23% above MA |
| Boxford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.7%±5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Boxford and Upton 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% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.2%±4.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Boxford 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% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
70.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Boxford 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±$33k 50% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$200,871±$21kHighest 93% above MA |
| Boxford and Upton 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 |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$907,000±$46kHighest 61% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$776±$13Lowest 56% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
67.2%±60.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
94.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1979 15 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
31 minLowest 7% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #34 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Boxford · Masconomet |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Masconomet Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | 12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.