Compare towns
Edgartown vs Lancaster vs Marion
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Edgartown has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.1%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Marion has the highest household income ($143k).
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 | Edgartown | Lancaster | Marion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,278Lowest |
8,606Highest |
5,310 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +27.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.9±8.6 30% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
| Marion and Edgartown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±8.9Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
27.3%±5.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Edgartown and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
46.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±3.2 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Marion and Edgartown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $125,236±$33kLowest 20% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
| Marion and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,199,300±$262kHighest 113% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$653,500±$47k 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,796±$470 about the MA average |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
| Lancaster and Edgartown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,641Lowest 6% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$5,766 4% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30%±35.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 12 minLowest 60% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 25.6%±15.2 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.1%±8.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Edgartown 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 | #242 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #141 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Edgartown | Nashoba | Marion |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.