What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bristol has the shortest commute (18 min average).

Lancaster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).

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	Bristol	Lancaster
People
Population	2,917Lowest	8,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	61±3.2Highest 57% above U.S.	43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S.
Kids under 18	13.9%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Lancaster and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	42.8%±8.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Lancaster and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,750±$19kLowest 25% above U.S.	$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$406,400±$54kLowest 22% above U.S.	$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,051±$106Lowest 26% below U.S.	$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,668Lowest 14% below U.S.	$7,235Highest 132% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	23.4%±19.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lancaster and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 12 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 33% below U.S.	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	25%±8.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Lancaster and Bristol 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	#16 of 133 in ME	#145 of 282 in MA
School district	Bristol Public Schools	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.