What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Brewster has the oldest population (median age 59.6).

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	Brewster
People
Population	8,606Lowest	10,420Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+5.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA	59.6±4.7Highest 49% above MA
Kids under 18	19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4%	13.1%±3.2Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Lancaster and Brewster 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%	38.6%±4.3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	55.5%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9%	2.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Lancaster and Brewster 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 30% above MA	$103,317±$16kLowest about the MA average
	Lancaster and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA	$707,700±$51kHighest 26% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA	$1,589±$465Lowest 10% below MA
	Lancaster and Brewster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,235Highest 21% above MA	$4,397Lowest 27% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8%	61.2%±23.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Lancaster and Brewster 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%	6.8%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	85%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA	1983Highest 19 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 9% above MA	21 minLowest 28% below MA
Work from home	33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6%	20.3%±5.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Lancaster and Brewster 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	#160 of 282 in MA
School district	Nashoba	Brewster
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.