Compare towns
Deerfield vs Lancaster vs Montague
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has the oldest population (median age 51.8).
Lancaster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Montague has the most affordable homes ($282k 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 | Deerfield | Lancaster | Montague |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,158Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,482 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.7%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.8±3.6Highest 30% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±3.1 11% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 13.2%±3.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19%±2.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
23.5%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Montague and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.4% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
37.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.9%±3.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Deerfield and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $106,136±$14k about the MA average |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$70,510±$12kLowest 32% below MA |
| Lancaster and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $414,900±$37k 26% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$282,100±$17kLowest 50% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,334±$318 24% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,207±$115Lowest 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,824 about the MA average |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$3,922Lowest 35% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.1%±15.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
64.6%±8.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Montague are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.5%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 40% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
21 min 28% below MA |
| Work from home | 17.5%±6.2 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #156 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #265 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Deerfield · Frontier | Nashoba | Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical · Gill-Montague |
| High school in town | Frontier Regional | None in town | Franklin County Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1Lowest |
— | 11.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.