Compare towns
Westhampton vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Whately
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westhampton has the most affordable homes ($413k median).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Westhampton | Upton | Lancaster | Whately |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,552 |
8,189 |
8,606Highest |
1,499Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.3±4.9Highest 23% above MA |
46.4±4.8 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±4.1 MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±2.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.5%±6.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Westhampton and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
47.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.5%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
| Westhampton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,000±$7kLowest 4% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$116,563±$15k 12% above 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 | $413,200±$24kLowest 26% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$431,500±$22k 23% 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 | $1,304±$229 26% below MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$977±$125 45% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,476 8% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$5,027Lowest 16% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±53.5 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.7%±29Lowest 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 | 6.5%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
86.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
23 minLowest 21% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.4%±8.5 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Hampshire · Westhampton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Whately |
| High school in town | Hampshire Regional High | Blackstone Valley | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.0Lowest |
11.2Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.