Compare towns

Upton vs Scituate vs Millis 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).
Scituate has the most affordable homes ($449k median).
Millis has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
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.

MeasureUptonScituateMillisLancaster
People
Population
8,189Lowest
10,517Highest
8,888
8,606
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+6.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
+0.5%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+7.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.8%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
46.4±4.8
19% above U.S.
49.9±4Highest
28% above U.S.
46.4±3
19% above U.S.
43.1±4.9Lowest
11% above U.S.
Scituate 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%
14.9%±3.3Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18.4%±2.8
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%
25.2%±4.3Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
23.5%±3.9
U.S.: 17.2%
19.9%±4.2Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Scituate and Millis 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%
34.7%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
54.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
50.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.4%±1.3Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
4.2%±1.7
U.S.: 6.4%
4.9%±1.6Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
3%±1.8
U.S.: 6.4%
Millis and Scituate are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$155,508±$33k
93% above U.S.
$112,315±$23kLowest
39% above U.S.
$155,996±$9kHighest
93% above U.S.
$134,833±$27k
67% above U.S.
Millis and Upton 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.
$449,300±$26kLowest
35% above U.S.
$603,500±$31kHighest
81% above U.S.
$519,100±$60k
56% above U.S.
Millis and Upton 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.
$1,489±$251
5% above U.S.
$1,696±$279
20% above U.S.
$2,338±$539Highest
65% above U.S.
Lancaster and Millis 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.
$5,265Lowest
69% above U.S.
$9,344Highest
200% above U.S.
$7,235
132% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
52.8%±31Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
59.6%±25.9
U.S.: 51.1%
56.5%±16.6
U.S.: 51.1%
68.3%±36.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Lancaster and Scituate 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%
5%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%
U.S.: 12.5%
1.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
86.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
87.3%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
83.2%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
85.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1981Highest
1 yr newer than U.S.
1966Lowest
14 yrs older than U.S.
1974
6 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
35 minHighest
34% above U.S.
31 minLowest
16% above U.S.
31 minLowest
16% above U.S.
32 min
20% above U.S.
Work from home
22.8%±5.3
U.S.: 15.1%
13.3%±5.1Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
17.5%±4.2
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 #17 of 38 in RI #63 of 282 in MA #145 of 282 in MA
School district Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton Scituate Millis Nashoba
High school in town Blackstone Valley Scituate High School Millis High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
11.2Highest
10.8
10.7Lowest
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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.