Compare towns
Marion vs Lancaster vs Merrimac
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marion has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Merrimac has the most renters (18.7% rent).
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 | Marion | Lancaster | Merrimac |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,310Lowest |
8,606Highest |
6,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.8±4Highest 35% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
49.4±6.8 24% above MA |
| Marion and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±4.7 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.5%±6.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
26.7%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
| Marion and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.7%±4.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Marion and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $143,092±$30kHighest 38% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$123,054±$16kLowest 18% above MA |
| Marion and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $653,500±$47kHighest 16% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$553,400±$38k about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,176±$516Lowest 33% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,352±$325 23% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,766Lowest 4% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$7,399Highest 23% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75.8%±26.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
59.3%±29.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Marion and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
81.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 15% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
32 min 10% above MA |
| Work from home | 20.1%±8.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Marion 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 | #141 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #188 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Marion | Nashoba | Pentucket |
| 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 |
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.