Compare towns
Middleton vs Lancaster vs Rutland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the most expensive homes ($743k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Rutland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).
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 | Middleton | Lancaster | Rutland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,816Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,353 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±2Highest 8% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
41.4±2.5Lowest 4% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
26.4%±5.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Rutland and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
14.7%±2.6Lowest 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% |
42% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.4 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±2.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Rutland and Middleton 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 |
$145,707±$28k 40% above MA |
| Middleton and Rutland 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±$60k 8% below MA |
$462,800±$33kLowest 18% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,407±$284 20% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,078±$170Lowest 39% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,785Highest 47% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$5,657Lowest 6% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25.7%±25.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.8%±26.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Rutland 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% |
2.1% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 22 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1990Highest 26 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 3% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.1%±5 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #150 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Middleton | Nashoba | Wachusett |
| 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.