Compare towns
Windham vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k median).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Windham | Upton | Lancaster | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
18,300 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8 7% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Highest 19% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
39.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.5%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.1%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$112,312±$6k 39% 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 | $388,900±$22kLowest 17% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$460,900±$26k 39% 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 | $1,232±$332 13% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,680±$355 19% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938Lowest 26% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$4,825 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.9%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
81.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.7Lowest 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.2Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.