Compare towns
Brookfield vs Lancaster vs Washington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Washington has the most affordable homes ($359k median).
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 | Lancaster | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
8,606Highest |
1,208 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
55±4.7 41% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.8%±4.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookfield and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $81,406±$31kLowest about the U.S. average |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$89,453±$12k 11% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61k 29% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$358,600±$32kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,106±$160Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926 90% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,321Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±88.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Washington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 3% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.9%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #145 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Washington School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.