Compare towns
Lisbon vs Lancaster vs Preston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lisbon has the most kids (22.1% under 18).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Preston has the shortest commute (22 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 | Lisbon | Lancaster | Preston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,211Lowest |
8,606Highest |
4,821 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 44.5±5.2 14% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S. |
| Preston and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.1%±6.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lisbon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.3%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Preston and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Preston and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,708±$12kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$116,648±$27k 44% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $315,700±$26kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$361,900±$13k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,433±$1kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Lancaster and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,044Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,749 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±75.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lisbon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #102 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA | #93 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Lisbon School District | Nashoba | Preston School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.