Compare towns
Worcester vs Upton vs Lancaster vs Lowell
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%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Worcester | Upton | Lancaster | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
8,189Lowest |
8,606 |
118,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
46.4±4.8Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
35.6±0.8 11% 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Upton and Lowell 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% |
20.7%±4.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest 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% |
53.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
30%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$155,508±$33kHighest 50% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$78,658±$4k 24% 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±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$576,700±$41kHighest about the MA average |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$429,200±$11k 24% 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 |
$948±$599Lowest 46% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,625±$40 8% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 21% below MA |
$8,376Highest 40% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$4,499Lowest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±31 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±3.8Lowest 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%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
43.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
35 minHighest 22% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Nashoba | Lowell |
| High school in town | South High Community | Blackstone Valley | None in town | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
11.2Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| 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.