Compare towns
Georgetown vs Northampton vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Georgetown has the most expensive homes ($651k median).
Northampton has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Northampton | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,474Lowest |
30,962Highest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.5 7% above MA |
41.3±2.2Lowest 3% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
| 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 MA: 19.4% |
16%±1.8Lowest 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+ | 18.5%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.4%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Northampton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.1% MA: 47.3% |
62.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
14%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,595±$23kHighest 46% above MA |
$80,288±$6kLowest 23% below 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 | $651,200±$23kHighest 16% above MA |
$429,700±$17kLowest 24% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,223±$506 26% above MA |
$1,439±$75Lowest 18% below 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 | $7,272Highest 21% above MA |
$5,680Lowest 5% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±22.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.6%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Northampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
13.4%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% MA: 62.5% |
57.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1955Lowest 9 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
21 minLowest 26% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.1%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Northampton 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 | #159 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Georgetown | Northampton · Northampton-Smith Vocational Agricultural | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Georgetown High School | Northampton High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
14.7Highest |
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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.