Compare towns
Upton vs Mansfield vs Lancaster 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 highest household income ($156k).
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sturbridge has the oldest population (median age 47.2).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Mansfield | Lancaster | Sturbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
25,358Highest |
8,606 |
9,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% 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% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 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% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 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% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15k 69% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$335,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster 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. |
$1,602±$104 13% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,727Lowest 84% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$6,520 109% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mansfield and Lancaster 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% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Mansfield 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 | #45 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #89 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Nashoba | Sturbridge · Tantasqua |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | E. O. Smith High School | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
11.8Highest |
— | 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.