Compare towns
Upton vs Wrentham vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Wrentham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.2%).
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 | Wrentham | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,189Lowest |
12,297Highest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+11.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
46.8±3.2Highest 17% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| Wrentham 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.8%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
21.7%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Wrentham 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% MA: 47.3% |
55.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Wrentham and Lancaster 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 50% above MA |
$151,676±$17k 46% above MA |
$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
| Upton and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $576,700±$41k about the MA average |
$654,900±$26kHighest 17% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,184±$628 33% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,373 23% above MA |
$7,235Lowest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
40.6%±15.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| 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% MA: 10% |
6.9%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 17 yrs newer than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
21.9%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| 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 | #49 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | King Philip · Wrentham | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Blackstone Valley | King Philip Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
13.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.