Compare towns
Upton vs Lancaster vs Newfields vs Sturbridge
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 most kids (23.2% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Sturbridge has the most affordable homes ($426k 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 | Newfields | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
8,606 |
2,023Lowest |
9,960Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8 13% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Highest 21% 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3 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% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±3 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields 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±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kLowest 67% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
| Newfields 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 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Upton 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. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,875±$323 33% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Newfields 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. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,520Lowest 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Newfields 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 | — | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Newfields School District | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
— | — | 7.7Lowest |
| 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.