Compare towns
Lancaster vs Boxford vs Brooklyn
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%).
Boxford has the most expensive homes ($907k median).
Brooklyn has the most affordable homes ($315k 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 | Boxford | Brooklyn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
8,208Lowest |
8,517 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
49.1±3.6Highest 26% above U.S. |
45.6±2.5 17% above U.S. |
| Boxford and Brooklyn 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% |
23.7%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Boxford and Brooklyn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Boxford 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brooklyn and Boxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$200,871±$21kHighest 149% above U.S. |
$96,207±$15kLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60k 56% above U.S. |
$907,000±$46kHighest 173% above U.S. |
$315,200±$28kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$776±$13Lowest 45% below U.S. |
$1,125±$98 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 132% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,538Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.2%±60.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.5%±19.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Boxford 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% |
3.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
31 min 18% 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% |
10.7%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Boxford 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 | #34 of 282 in MA | #113 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Nashoba | Boxford · Masconomet | Brooklyn School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Masconomet Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.