What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).

Ashby has the most affordable homes ($391k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lancaster	Ashby
People
Population	8,606Highest	3,211Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+3.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA	50.5±3Highest 26% above MA
	Ashby and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4%	17%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Lancaster and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9%	21.5%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Ashby and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	43.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.8 MA: 7.9%	3%±1.2 MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA	$115,598±$9kLowest 11% above MA
	Lancaster and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA	$390,500±$30kLowest 31% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA	$1,200±$484Lowest 32% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,235Highest 21% above MA	$6,034Lowest about the MA average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8%	36.4%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Lancaster and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	1.4%Lowest MA: 10%	2.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	95.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA	1970Lowest 6 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minLowest 9% above MA	33 minHighest 13% above MA
Work from home	33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6%	17.8%±5.8Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#145 of 282 in MA	#200 of 282 in MA
School district	Nashoba	North Middlesex
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.