Compare towns
Ware vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Winchendon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Winchendon has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
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 | Ware | Lancaster | Upton | Winchendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 10,048 |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
10,440Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average |
| Upton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Upton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Winchendon and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$75,690±$14k 27% below MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$323,800±$19k 42% below MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,043±$109 41% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,255±$163 29% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,237 29% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,780Lowest 37% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
61.7%±17.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.8% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
18.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
76.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±3.1Lowest 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #269 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ware | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Winchendon |
| High school in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Murdock High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.2 |
11.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.