Compare towns
Georgetown vs Ayer vs Plainfield vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Georgetown has the most expensive homes ($651k median).
Ayer has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Georgetown | Ayer | Plainfield | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,474Lowest |
8,645 |
15,141Highest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.5 10% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Georgetown and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.5%±2.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $151,595±$23kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
| Georgetown and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $651,200±$23kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,223±$506 57% above U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,272Highest 133% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±22.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.2%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Ayer 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 | #140 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Georgetown | Ayer Shirley School District | Plainfield School District | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Georgetown High School | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Plainfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
11.5Highest |
10.3 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.