What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).

Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Middleton	Lancaster
People
Population	9,816Highest	8,606Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.8%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.1±2 8% above MA	43.1±4.9 8% above MA
Kids under 18	17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Lancaster and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9%
	Lancaster and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.7%Lowest MA: 47.3%	50.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9%	3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Middleton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$167,402±$29kHighest 61% above MA	$134,833±$27kLowest 30% above MA
	Middleton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$742,700±$48kHighest 32% above MA	$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,407±$284Lowest 20% below MA	$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,785Highest 47% above MA	$7,235Lowest 21% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Lancaster and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.4%Highest MA: 10%	1.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA	1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minLowest 3% above MA	32 minHighest 9% above MA
Work from home	12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#71 of 282 in MA	#145 of 282 in MA
School district	Middleton	Nashoba
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.