What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canterbury has the most affordable homes ($334k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Canterbury	Lancaster
People
Population	5,124Lowest	8,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+4.8% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.4±4.5Highest 24% above U.S.	43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S.
	Canterbury and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Lancaster and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Canterbury and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	26.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Canterbury and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$103,198±$6kLowest 28% above U.S.	$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$334,200±$12kLowest about the U.S. average	$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$924±$367Lowest 35% below U.S.	$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,140Lowest 33% above U.S.	$7,235Highest 132% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	40%±13Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lancaster and Canterbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.	32 minLowest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	14.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#125 of 149 in CT	#145 of 282 in MA
School district	Canterbury School District	Nashoba
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.