Compare towns
Upton vs Roxbury vs Sutton 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).
Roxbury has the most affordable homes ($323k 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 | Roxbury | Sutton | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189 |
299Lowest |
9,452Highest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.2±17.7 11% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton 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% |
14.7%±11.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sutton 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% |
17.4%±10.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 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% |
30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.4%±15.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Roxbury and Sutton 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. |
$69,226±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton 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. |
$323,100±$219kLowest about the U.S. average |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton 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. |
— | $1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,787Lowest 86% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
0.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 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 | — | #105 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | — | Sutton | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | — | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
— | 12.6Highest |
— |
| 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.