Compare towns
Berlin vs Lancaster vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berlin has the most affordable homes ($131k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Franklin has the youngest population (median age 42.7).
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 | Berlin | Lancaster | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,383Highest |
8,606Lowest |
8,799 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.6±2.8Highest 15% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
42.7±2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Berlin and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.8%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.1%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Franklin and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 14.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Franklin and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $45,180±$5kLowest 44% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$71,648±$4k 11% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $131,000±$15kLowest 61% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$262,200±$22k 21% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $815±$141Lowest 42% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,110±$68 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,437Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,886 57% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.7%±12 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±11.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
64.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 29% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 3.5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #108 of 120 in NH | #145 of 282 in MA | #112 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Berlin School District | Nashoba | Franklin School District |
| High school in town | Berlin Senior High School | None in town | Franklin High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
— | 16.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.