Compare towns
Lancaster vs Sterling vs Plainfield
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%).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Plainfield has the shortest commute (27 min average).
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 | Sterling | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606 |
3,629Lowest |
15,141Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
37±4.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±2.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
16.6%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Plainfield 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
18% U.S.: 35.7% |
15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainfield and Sterling 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 67% above U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
$76,993±$8kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
$272,100±$16kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
— | $1,204±$70Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,551 46% above U.S. |
$4,209Lowest 35% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39.8%±9.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Plainfield 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #145 of 282 in MA | #119 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Nashoba | Sterling School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.3 |
| 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.