Compare towns
Worcester vs Lancaster vs Upton vs Springfield
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).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
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 | Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
8,606 |
8,189Lowest |
154,749 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5 15% below MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
33.7±0.5Lowest 16% 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% |
24.2%±0.9Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Springfield and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest 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% |
20.5%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% |
7.5%±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 |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% 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 |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% 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 |
$1,144±$55 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 21% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$3,695Lowest 38% 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%±31Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Springfield 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% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 17% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% 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% |
8.4%±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 | #276 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Springfield |
| High school in town | South High Community | None in town | Blackstone Valley | Springfield Central High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
— | 11.2Lowest |
12.2 |
| 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.