Compare towns
Upton vs Ripton vs Lancaster vs Hopkinton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ripton has the most affordable homes ($394k median).
Lancaster has the most renters (14.9% rent).
Hopkinton has the highest household income ($223k).
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 | Ripton | Lancaster | Hopkinton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
508Lowest |
8,606 |
19,358Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
40.8±1.6Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±4.5 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
29.5%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hopkinton and Upton 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.5%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton 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% |
48%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
77.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $155,508±$33k 93% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kLowest 40% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$222,801±$22kHighest 176% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$802,700±$39kHighest 141% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
— | $2,338±$539 65% above U.S. |
$2,641±$361Highest 87% above U.S. |
| Hopkinton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376 169% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.4%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Hopkinton 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% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1990Highest 10 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 282 in MA | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #5 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Nashoba | Hopkinton |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town | Hopkinton High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | — | 14.4Highest |
| 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.