Compare towns
Lancaster vs Lunenburg vs Townsend
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%).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k 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 | Lunenburg | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Lowest |
11,902Highest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
43.2±2.1Highest 8% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
| Lunenburg and Lancaster 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% |
21.1%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
| Lunenburg and Townsend 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% |
17.9%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Lunenburg 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% |
44% MA: 47.3% |
35.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Townsend and Lunenburg 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 |
$112,828±$11kLowest 9% above MA |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
| Lancaster and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$463,900±$24k 17% below MA |
$433,200±$22kLowest 23% below MA |
| Lancaster and Lunenburg 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 |
$1,974±$586 12% above MA |
$1,469±$313Lowest 17% below MA |
| Lancaster and Lunenburg 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 |
$6,401 7% above MA |
$6,031Lowest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Townsend 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% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
80.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minLowest 9% above MA |
36 min 24% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #145 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Lunenburg | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Lunenburg High | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Lowest |
13.1Highest |
| 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.