What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lancaster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).

Medway has the highest household income ($174k).

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	Medway
People
Population	8,606Lowest	13,436Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA	40.7±2.3Lowest about the MA average
	Lancaster and Medway 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%	22.5%±2.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Medway 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%	15.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Lancaster and Medway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%	62.4%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±1.2Highest MA: 7.9%
	Medway and Lancaster 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	$173,750±$18kHighest 67% above MA
	Medway 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	$617,300±$21kHighest 10% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA	$1,575±$205Lowest 11% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,235Lowest 21% above MA	$8,730Highest 46% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8%	35.3%±21.1Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Lancaster and Medway 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%	3.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%	85.9%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 9% above MA	30 minLowest 4% above MA
Work from home	33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6%	20.7%±3.5Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#145 of 282 in MA	#40 of 282 in MA
School district	Nashoba	Medway
High school in town	None in town	Medway High
Students per teacherat that high school	—	13.8
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.