Compare towns
Cornish vs Lancaster vs Canton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the youngest population (median age 39.2).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Canton has the most kids (20.4% under 18).
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 | Cornish | Lancaster | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,024Lowest |
8,606Highest |
1,191 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.2±13.3Lowest about the U.S. average |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.4±7.2 6% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.5%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
20.4%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Canton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.7%±6.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Canton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lancaster and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,686±$2k 15% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$52,458±$35kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | — | $519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$165,000±$50kLowest 50% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,135±$141 20% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$485±$18Lowest 66% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,925Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$2,277 27% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 31%±22.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
88.9%±33.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Canton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #145 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Nashoba | — |
| High school 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.