Compare towns
Upton vs Melrose 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).
Melrose has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Melrose | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
29,650Highest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+10.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.6±1.1 9% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| Upton and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.1 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Melrose 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% |
20.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Melrose 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% |
62%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Melrose 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±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$133,953±$14kLowest 29% above 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 |
$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,970±$149 12% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster and Melrose 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 |
$7,578 26% above MA |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
50.3%±8.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest 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% |
3.8%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
67.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer 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 |
35 min 19% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
29.6%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Melrose 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 | #62 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Melrose | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Melrose High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
12.8Highest |
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| 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.