Compare towns
Kingston vs Lancaster vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kingston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Auburn has the most affordable homes ($400k 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 | Kingston | Lancaster | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,027 |
8,606Lowest |
16,970Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±3.9Highest 16% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.8±1.6 12% above MA |
| Kingston and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Auburn and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
| Kingston and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Auburn and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,876±$13k 15% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$116,711±$10kLowest 12% above MA |
| Lancaster and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,600±$30kHighest 9% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,159±$244Lowest 34% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,467±$155 17% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,650Highest 28% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$5,289Lowest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 20% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
26 minLowest 12% below MA |
| Work from home | 19.5%±4.9 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #99 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Kingston · Silver Lake | Nashoba | Auburn |
| High school in town | Silver Lake Regional High | None in town | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| 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.