Compare towns
Brookfield vs Devens vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
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.
| Measure | Brookfield | Devens | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,460 |
1,723Lowest |
8,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.4% MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±2.1Highest 31% above MA |
48.6±4.3 22% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| Brookfield and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Brookfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±3.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Brookfield and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,250±$37kLowest 22% below MA |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
| Devens and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,900±$23kLowest 39% below MA |
$556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Devens and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,014±$161Lowest 42% below MA |
$1,500±$539 15% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,092Lowest 15% below MA |
$5,556 7% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±11.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 11% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 12%±5.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Devens 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 | #109 of 282 in MA | — | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookfield | — | Nashoba |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.