What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brewster has the oldest population (median age 59.6).

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	Brewster	Lancaster
People
Population	10,420Highest	8,606Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	59.6±4.7Highest 49% above MA	43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Lancaster and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	38.6%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9%	19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.5%Highest MA: 47.3%	50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	3%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9%
	Lancaster and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,317±$16kLowest about the MA average	$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA
	Lancaster and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$707,700±$51kHighest 26% above MA	$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,589±$465Lowest 10% below MA	$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA
	Lancaster and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,397Lowest 27% below MA	$7,235Highest 21% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.2%±23.7Lowest MA: 51.8%	68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Lancaster and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Highest MA: 10%	1.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.1%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA	1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 28% below MA	32 minHighest 9% above MA
Work from home	20.3%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%	33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Lancaster and Brewster 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	#160 of 282 in MA	#145 of 282 in MA
School district	Brewster	Nashoba
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.