Compare towns
Worcester vs Lancaster vs Upton vs New Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
New Bedford has the most renters (59.7% rent).
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 | Worcester | Lancaster | Upton | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
100,998 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
37±0.8 8% below MA |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Bedford and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
| 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+ | 35.2% MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
17%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$56,981±$3kLowest 45% 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 | $374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$357,300±$6kLowest 36% 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 | $1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$1,137±$26 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 21% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$4,338Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
20.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8% MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
25 min 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest 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 | #266 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | South High Community | None in town | Blackstone Valley | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
13.5 |
| 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.