Compare towns
Gardner vs Georgetown vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardner has the most affordable homes ($302k median).
Georgetown has the most expensive homes ($651k median).
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 | Gardner | Georgetown | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 21,148Highest |
8,474Lowest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest 9% above MA |
42.8±3.5Lowest 7% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
| Gardner and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.5%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Georgetown and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Gardner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
56.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Gardner and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,518±$8kLowest 35% below MA |
$151,595±$23kHighest 46% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
| Georgetown and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $301,600±$20kLowest 46% below MA |
$651,200±$23kHighest 16% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,109±$51Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,223±$506 26% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,150Lowest 31% below MA |
$7,272Highest 21% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.7%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
53.7%±22.5 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.7%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #273 of 282 in MA | #140 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Gardner | Georgetown | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Gardner High | Georgetown High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
9.3Lowest |
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| 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.