Compare towns
Grafton vs Lancaster vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Grafton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.7%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Lancaster | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,902Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.1±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
| Douglas 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% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Grafton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Grafton 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% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Grafton and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,484±$11kLowest 26% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Douglas and Lancaster 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 |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
| Grafton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,504±$169 15% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,117 19% above MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±12.5 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.3%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.2%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 13% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.4%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Grafton | Nashoba | Douglas |
| High school in town | Grafton High School | None in town | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.9Highest |
— | 7.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.