What stands out worked out from the figures below

Arundel has the shortest commute (23 min average).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Arundel	Lancaster
People
Population	4,418Lowest	8,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.9±6.4Lowest 5% above U.S.	43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.4%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22%	19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Arundel and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Lancaster and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	29.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Arundel and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,597±$17kLowest 26% above U.S.	$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$421,300±$62kLowest 27% above U.S.	$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,607±$495Lowest 14% above U.S.	$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,763Lowest 21% above U.S.	$7,235Highest 132% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lancaster and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1992Highest 12 yrs newer than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 14% below U.S.	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#7 of 133 in ME	#145 of 282 in MA
School district	RSU 21	Nashoba
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.