Compare towns
Millbury vs Lancaster vs Oxford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Millbury has the most renters (24.6% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Oxford has the most affordable homes ($375k median).
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 | Millbury | Lancaster | Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,961Highest |
8,606Lowest |
13,385 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.1 7% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
42±2.8Lowest 5% above MA |
| Lancaster and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Oxford and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
16.6%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Millbury and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Oxford and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $118,790±$13k 14% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$103,862±$10kLowest about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $450,100±$19k 20% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$374,900±$18kLowest 33% below MA |
| Lancaster and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,623±$232 8% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,177±$142Lowest 33% below MA |
| Lancaster and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,406 10% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,622Lowest 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.8%±15.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Oxford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min about the MA average |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.8%±3.4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±4.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #202 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #245 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Millbury | Nashoba | Oxford |
| High school in town | Millbury Junior/Senior High | None in town | Oxford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.