Compare towns
Georgetown vs Lancaster vs Sterling
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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
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 | Lancaster | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,474 |
8,606Highest |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 42.8±3.5 10% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
| 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Georgetown and Sterling 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% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest 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% |
50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,595±$23kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12kLowest 27% 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. |
$519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,223±$506Lowest 57% above 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. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±22.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 27% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.2%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #140 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Georgetown | Nashoba | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Georgetown High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3 |
— | — |
| 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.