Compare towns
Medford vs Lancaster vs Beverly
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Medford has the most expensive homes ($756k median).
Lancaster has the most homeowners (85.1%).
Beverly has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8%).
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 | Medford | Lancaster | Beverly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 59,354Highest |
8,606Lowest |
42,665 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.9±1Lowest 10% below MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
39±1.8 about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.7%±1.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.5%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±1.3Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
53.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
11.3%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Beverly and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,540±$8k 25% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$106,044±$7kLowest about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Medford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $755,500±$23kHighest 34% above MA |
$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA |
$650,300±$13k 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,509±$94Highest 42% above MA |
$2,338±$539 33% above MA |
$1,771±$106Lowest about the MA average |
| Medford and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,286Lowest 5% above MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$6,836 14% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±4.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Beverly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 54.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
60.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 22 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1956 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 4% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
30 minLowest 3% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±2.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Medford 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 | #203 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #144 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Medford | Nashoba | Beverly |
| High school in town | Medford High | None in town | Beverly High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.2Lowest |
— | 12.2Highest |
| 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.