Compare towns
Upton vs Townsend vs Exeter 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 highest household income ($156k).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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.
| Measure | Upton | Townsend | Exeter | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
9,100 |
16,151Highest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
| Upton and Exeter 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% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Townsend 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% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter 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% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Townsend 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. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% 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. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% 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. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Exeter 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. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Exeter 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 34% above U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | North Middlesex | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | North Middlesex Regional | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
13.1Highest |
12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.