Compare towns
Upton vs Lancaster vs Reading vs Millis
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 most homeowners (86.7%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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 | Reading | Millis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
25,612Highest |
8,888 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+3.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
43.7±2.3 9% above MA |
46.4±3Highest 16% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
18.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Reading 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% |
20.7%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Millis 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% |
66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±0.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Millis 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 |
$165,912±$13kHighest 60% above MA |
$155,996±$9k 50% above MA |
| Reading and Millis 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 |
$809,000±$22kHighest 44% above MA |
$603,500±$31k 7% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,991±$273 13% above MA |
$1,696±$279 4% below MA |
| Lancaster and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 40% above MA |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
$9,320 56% above MA |
$9,344Highest 56% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
56.5%±16.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Millis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
4.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
82.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
31 min 6% above MA |
31 minLowest 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
30.2%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
17.5%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Reading 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 | #50 of 282 in MA | #63 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Reading | Millis |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Reading Memorial High | Millis High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
— | 12.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.