Compare towns
Lancaster vs Mount Desert vs Georgetown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Georgetown has the most expensive homes ($651k 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 | Mount Desert | Georgetown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606Highest |
1,671Lowest |
8,474 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
42.8±3.5Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Georgetown and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
56.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Mount Desert and Georgetown 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 67% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$151,595±$23kHighest 88% above U.S. |
| 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 56% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$651,200±$23kHighest 96% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,341±$89Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$2,223±$506 57% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 132% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$7,272Highest 133% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.7%±22.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1974Highest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
34 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #145 of 282 in MA | — | #140 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Mount Desert Public Schools | Georgetown |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Georgetown High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.