Compare towns
Upton vs Newington vs Lancaster
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 most kids (23.2% under 18).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
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 | Newington | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189 |
939Lowest |
8,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
48.7±10.1Highest 25% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Newington 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% |
15.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
28%±11Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newington 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
62.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newington 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 93% above U.S. |
$145,833±$46k 81% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kLowest 67% above U.S. |
| Upton and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$861,600±$46kHighest 159% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kLowest 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,292±$795 62% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$6,081Lowest 95% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.9%±44 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Newington 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% |
4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 12% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Newington School District | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.