Compare towns
Clinton vs Ware vs Greenfield vs Lancaster
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 youngest population (median age 38.6).
Greenfield has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Clinton | Ware | Greenfield | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 15,563 |
10,048 |
17,664Highest |
8,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
— | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.6±2.7Lowest 4% below MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
44.6±2.1Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
| Greenfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±1.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Ware 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
23.4%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Greenfield and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.6% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
39.1% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Clinton and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,781±$10k 14% below MA |
$67,475±$15k 35% below MA |
$55,614±$7kLowest 47% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $387,300±$19k 31% below MA |
$289,700±$28k 48% below MA |
$263,100±$16kLowest 53% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,402±$76 20% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,107±$67 37% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,654 22% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,769 20% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±6.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
63.2%±7.3 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
15.2%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1956 8 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min about the MA average |
28 min about the MA average |
17 minLowest 40% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 14.2%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.9%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #246 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #257 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Clinton | Ware | Greenfield | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Clinton Senior High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Greenfield High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
11.1 |
10.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.