Compare towns
Georgetown vs Peabody 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 kids (23.5% under 18).
Peabody has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.3%).
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 | Peabody | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,474Lowest |
54,695Highest |
8,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.5Lowest 7% above MA |
45.3±2.4Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
| Peabody and Lancaster 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% |
18.7%±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% |
24.3%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Peabody 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Peabody and Georgetown 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 46% above MA |
$96,657±$4kLowest 7% 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 |
$596,200±$12k 6% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,223±$506 26% above MA |
$1,950±$99Lowest 11% 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 | $7,272Highest 21% above MA |
$5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.7%±22.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
58.3%±5.9 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84% MA: 62.5% |
65.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #140 of 282 in MA | #228 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Georgetown | Peabody | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Georgetown High School | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
10.3Highest |
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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.