Compare towns
Lancaster vs Ware vs Webster 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%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Webster has the most renters (40.2% rent).
Mendon has the most expensive homes ($616k 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 | Ware | Webster | Mendon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606 |
10,048 |
17,748Highest |
6,325Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+6.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
44.1±4.4Highest 10% above MA |
| Mendon 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 MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
22.8%±6.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mendon and Webster 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% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Ware 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%Highest MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
25.3% MA: 47.3% |
46.9% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
6.8%±2.5Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Mendon and Webster 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 |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$72,895±$6k 30% below MA |
$132,256±$33k 27% above MA |
| Lancaster and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$616,000±$37kHighest 10% above MA |
| Mendon and Lancaster 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 |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,840±$196 4% above MA |
| Lancaster and Mendon 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 |
$4,237 29% below MA |
$3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$7,213 20% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2 MA: 51.8% |
45.7%±6.7Lowest 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% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
7.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
86.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1960Lowest 4 yrs older than MA |
1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1985Highest 21 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
31 min 5% above MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.1%±5.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #145 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA | #210 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Ware | Webster | Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | None in town | Ware Junior/Senior High School | Bartlett High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1Lowest |
11.6Highest |
— |
| 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.