Compare towns
Lancaster vs Ayer vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Ayer has the most renters (30.8% rent).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Lancaster | Ayer | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Lowest |
8,645 |
15,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Ayer and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Plainfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29k 39% above U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,415±$180 about the U.S. average |
$1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Ayer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Ayer 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Nashoba | Ayer Shirley School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5Highest |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.