What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lenox has the shortest commute (23 min average).

Spencer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.6%).

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	Lenox	Spencer
People
Population	5,079Lowest	12,008Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+2.6%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	60.1±4.3Highest 50% above MA	48.9±6.8Lowest 22% above MA
Kids under 18	13.3%±4.1Lowest MA: 19.4%	16.4%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%
	Spencer and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	40.1%±7.8Highest MA: 17.9%	26%±4.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 7.9%	5.2%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9%
	Spencer and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$106,080±$31kHighest about the MA average	$80,533±$11kLowest 23% below MA
	Lenox and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$466,700±$43kHighest 17% below MA	$382,000±$22kLowest 32% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,091±$238Highest 38% below MA	$1,078±$161Lowest 39% below MA
	Lenox and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,299Highest 12% below MA	$4,387Lowest 27% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.2%±18.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	50.6%±10.3Highest MA: 51.8%
	Spencer and Lenox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.5%Lowest MA: 10%	11%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.4%Highest MA: 62.5%	63%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA	1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 22% below MA	34 minHighest 18% above MA
Work from home	18.3%±8.8Highest MA: 18.6%	15%±7.3Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Lenox and Spencer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#90 of 282 in MA	#261 of 282 in MA
School district	Lenox	Spencer-E Brookfield
High school in town	Lenox Memorial High	David Prouty High
Students per teacherat that high school	7.6Lowest	9.9Highest
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.