Compare towns
Dummer vs Lancaster vs Groton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dummer has the shortest commute (25 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 | Dummer | Lancaster | Groton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 299Lowest |
8,606Highest |
507 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
51.1±16.2 31% above U.S. |
| Dummer and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummer and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Groton and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 16.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
29.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lancaster and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,250±$21k 13% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$85,625±$21kLowest 6% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Dummer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,200±$51kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$269,000±$45k 19% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,338±$539Lowest 65% above U.S. |
$2,667±$295Highest 89% above U.S. |
| Groton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,898 7% below U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$2,873Lowest 8% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±83.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Groton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.7%±6.5 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.