Compare towns
Brooks vs Lancaster vs Newburgh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
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.
| Measure | Brooks | Lancaster | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208Lowest |
8,606Highest |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.8±5.7 18% above U.S. |
| Brooks and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newburgh and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooks and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$76,750±$10k 5% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 41% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$244,600±$20k 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 21% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$950±$219Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$2,748 12% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.9%±13.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
30 min 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #145 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Nashoba | — |
| 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.