Compare towns
Upton vs Plainfield vs Lancaster vs Milford
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).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Milford has the most renters (37.8% rent).
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 | Plainfield | Lancaster | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
15,141 |
8,606 |
27,731Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
38.5±1.5 about the U.S. 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%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Milford 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% |
16.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.3%±2.1 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Milford 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. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$93,310±$5k 16% above U.S. |
| 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±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$464,700±$12k 40% 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. |
$1,204±$70 15% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,889±$133 34% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Milford 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. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$5,664 82% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.7%±8.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Milford 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% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±2.4 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 | #131 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #213 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Plainfield School District | Nashoba | — |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | Plainfield High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Highest |
10.3Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.