Compare towns
Lancaster vs Douglas vs Devens
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Douglas has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
Devens has the highest household income ($189k).
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 | Douglas | Devens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606 |
9,207Highest |
1,723Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-7.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
48.6±4.3Highest 22% above MA |
| Devens and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
5.5%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
14%±5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Douglas 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% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
21.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±4.2 MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Devens are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA |
$152,267±$10k 46% above MA |
$189,250±$63kHighest 82% above MA |
| Devens and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$556,800±$96kHighest about the MA average |
| Devens and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$1,500±$539Lowest 15% below MA |
| Lancaster and Douglas 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 |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$5,556Lowest 7% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
85.4%±64.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Devens and Lancaster 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% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
25.3%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
79.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
28 minLowest 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
28.5%±11.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Devens 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 | #177 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Nashoba | Douglas | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2 |
— |
| 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.