Compare towns
Middleton vs Lancaster vs Effingham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middleton has the most homeowners (96.5%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Effingham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+15.4%).
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 | Effingham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,595Lowest |
8,606Highest |
1,912 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+15.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.5±5.7 12% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.9±12.4Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Effingham and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Effingham and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 23.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $101,696±$8k 26% above U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$76,607±$14kLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Middleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,300±$27kLowest 6% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$322,700±$30k 3% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,500±$293 6% above U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,090±$121Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,504 76% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$5,163Lowest 66% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 83.3%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
13.6%±40.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Middleton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 39 minHighest 47% above U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #145 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Middleton School District | Nashoba | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| 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 |
U.S. 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.