Compare towns
Brownfield vs Lancaster vs Chesterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brownfield has the most homeowners (87.7%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Chesterville has the most affordable homes ($214k 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 | Brownfield | Lancaster | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,830 |
8,606Highest |
1,397Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±6.8 about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
37.8±4Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Lancaster and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±5.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
31.3%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Chesterville and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±1.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lancaster and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,889±$5kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$61,635±$10k 24% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $287,500±$36k 14% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$214,000±$40kLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,617±$554 14% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,088±$73Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,976 5% below U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$2,194Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.8%±43.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 44 minHighest 67% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 9.5%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #145 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RSU 72/MSAD 72 | 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.