Compare towns
Grafton vs Amesbury vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has the most kids (22.5% under 18).
Amesbury has the shortest commute (29 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 | Grafton | Amesbury | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,902Highest |
17,403 |
8,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
— | +4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
43.7±1.7Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
| Amesbury and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.4 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Grafton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.2%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Grafton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,484±$11k 26% above MA |
$103,554±$12kLowest about the MA average |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
| Lancaster and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $525,300±$37kHighest 7% below MA |
$519,300±$32k 8% below MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
| Grafton and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$169Lowest 15% below MA |
$1,683±$115 4% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,117Lowest 19% above MA |
$7,360Highest 23% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
66.7%±10.7 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% MA: 10% |
7.1%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2% MA: 62.5% |
68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1969Lowest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 13% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Grafton 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 | #67 of 282 in MA | #151 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Grafton | Amesbury | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Grafton High School | Amesbury High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
10.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.