What stands out worked out from the figures below

Franklin has the most kids (27.2% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Franklin	Lancaster
People
Population	2,004Lowest	8,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+4.8% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.3±4.3Lowest 4% above U.S.	43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	27.2%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22%	19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Franklin and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Lancaster and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Franklin and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$105,000±$10kLowest 30% above U.S.	$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$326,200±$20kLowest about the U.S. average	$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$767±$529Lowest 46% below U.S.	$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,934Lowest 26% above U.S.	$7,235Highest 132% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	19.5%±18.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lancaster and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 3% above U.S.	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	6.8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#145 of 282 in MA
School district	Franklin School District	Nashoba
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.