Compare towns
Upton vs Lancaster vs Walpole
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 oldest population (median age 46.4).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Walpole has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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 | Lancaster | Walpole |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
26,388Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
40.9±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Lancaster 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% |
25.1%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Walpole and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| 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% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Walpole 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 |
$171,500±$16kHighest 65% above MA |
| Walpole 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 |
$687,100±$20kHighest 22% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$2,205±$222 25% above MA |
| Lancaster and Walpole 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 |
$8,523Highest 42% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
37.8%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
28.2%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Walpole 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 | #107 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Norfolk County Agricultural · Walpole |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Walpole High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
| 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.