Compare towns
Clinton vs Lancaster vs Maynard vs Boylston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Clinton has the most renters (45.3% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Boylston has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Clinton | Lancaster | Maynard | Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,563Highest |
8,606 |
10,712 |
4,948Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+11.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.6±2.7Lowest 4% below MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
45.3±4.3 13% above MA |
48.2±2.3Highest 21% above MA |
| Boylston and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±2.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
22%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Boylston and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
54.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3.6%±1.7 MA: 7.9% |
| Clinton and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,781±$10kLowest 14% below MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$124,067±$16k 19% above MA |
$140,962±$28kHighest 36% above MA |
| Boylston and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $387,300±$19kLowest 31% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$527,400±$31k 6% below MA |
$578,600±$47kHighest about the MA average |
| Boylston and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$76Lowest 20% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$2,032±$350 15% above MA |
| Lancaster and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,654Lowest 22% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$7,266 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±6.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±16.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
6.4% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
75% MA: 62.5% |
79.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
27 minLowest 8% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.2%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
22.7%±5.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Maynard 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 | #246 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #166 of 282 in MA | #72 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Clinton | Nashoba | Maynard | Berlin-Boylston |
| High school in town | Clinton Senior High | None in town | Maynard High | Tahanto Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
— | 9.7Lowest |
11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.