Compare towns
Maynard vs Lancaster vs Douglas
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Maynard has the most renters (25% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Douglas has the highest household income ($152k).
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 | Maynard | Lancaster | Douglas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,712Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,207 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±4.3Highest 13% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44±2.6 10% above MA |
| Maynard and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±3.3 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Douglas and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,067±$16kLowest 19% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
| Douglas and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $527,400±$31kHighest 6% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
| Maynard and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,800±$148 about the MA average |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,503±$697Lowest 15% below MA |
| Lancaster and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,266Highest 38% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$6,338Lowest 6% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.9%±9.6 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Maynard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 9% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
| Work from home | 22.9%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Maynard 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 | #166 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Maynard | Nashoba | Douglas |
| High school in town | Maynard High | None in town | Douglas High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.7Highest |
— | 7.2Lowest |
| 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.