Compare towns
Lancaster vs Hamilton vs Georgetown vs Mendon
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%).
Hamilton has the most expensive homes ($720k median).
Georgetown has the highest household income ($152k).
Mendon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Hamilton | Georgetown | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
7,600 |
8,474 |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
43.5±2.1 9% above MA |
42.8±3.5Lowest 7% above MA |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Hamilton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
24%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
23.5%±3.5 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Hamilton and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Hamilton 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% MA: 47.3% |
68.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
56.1% MA: 47.3% |
46.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Hamilton 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 30% above MA |
$129,833±$14kLowest 25% above MA |
$151,595±$23kHighest 46% above MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
| Georgetown and Lancaster 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 |
$720,000±$36kHighest 28% above MA |
$651,200±$23k 16% above MA |
$616,000±$37k 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,794±$394Lowest about the MA average |
$2,223±$506 26% above MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
| Lancaster and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 21% above MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,272 21% above MA |
$7,213Lowest 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
65.8%±23.6 MA: 51.8% |
53.7%±22.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
78.7%±26Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Mendon 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% |
7.8%Highest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
84.7% MA: 62.5% |
84%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
32 min 11% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
30 minLowest 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
26.3%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
20.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Hamilton 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 | #36 of 282 in MA | #140 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Hamilton-Wenham | Georgetown | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Hamilton-Wenham Regional High | Georgetown High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Highest |
9.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.