Compare towns
Middleborough vs Lancaster vs Ludlow
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.9%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Ludlow has the shortest commute (20 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 | Middleborough | Lancaster | Ludlow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 24,505Highest |
8,606Lowest |
20,904 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±2.1 9% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
44.3±1.8Highest 11% above MA |
| Ludlow and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±2.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.4%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.8%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
27%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.2%±1.7Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Ludlow and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $97,056±$7k 7% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$84,838±$7kLowest 18% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $468,700±$18k 17% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$335,300±$10kLowest 40% below MA |
| Lancaster and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,706±$72 3% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,223±$82Lowest 31% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,023 about the MA average |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,918Lowest 18% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.2%±11.4 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
50.7%±9.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Middleborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.9%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
77.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 15 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1964Lowest same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 7% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
| Work from home | 13.6%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
14%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #170 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #154 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleborough | Nashoba | Ludlow |
| High school in town | Middleborough High | None in town | Ludlow Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.