Compare towns
Upton vs Lawrence vs Everett vs Lancaster
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 highest household income ($156k).
Lawrence has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Everett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
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 | Lawrence | Everett | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
88,736Highest |
50,045 |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7% MA: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
35.2±1.5 12% below MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
| 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% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence 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% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
11.3%±1.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
24.9% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Everett and Lawrence 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 50% above MA |
$60,433±$3kLowest 42% below MA |
$85,218±$7k 18% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
| Upton and Lancaster 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 |
$415,200±$23kLowest 26% below MA |
$610,000±$23kHighest 9% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Everett and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,662±$50 6% below MA |
$2,076±$69 18% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$4,880 19% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6 MA: 51.8% |
56.4%±5.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% MA: 10% |
17.6%Highest MA: 10% |
14.7% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
37.2% MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1950 14 yrs older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
35 min 20% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Lawrence | Everett | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Lawrence High School | Everett High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
13.6Highest |
12.1 |
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| 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.