Compare towns
Northbridge vs Lancaster vs Georgetown
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northbridge has the most renters (29.5% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Georgetown has the most expensive homes ($651k 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 | Northbridge | Lancaster | Georgetown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,458Highest |
8,606 |
8,474Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±2.6Highest 9% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
42.8±3.5Lowest 7% above MA |
| Northbridge and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.5%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Georgetown and Northbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.5%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.9%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
56.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.3Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Northbridge and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,319±$19kLowest 7% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$151,595±$23kHighest 46% above MA |
| Georgetown and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $448,600±$15kLowest 20% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$651,200±$23kHighest 16% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,207±$102Lowest 31% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$2,223±$506 26% above MA |
| Lancaster and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,821Lowest 20% below MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$7,272Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.2%±9.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.7%±22.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.8% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
84% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 9 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 7% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 16.2%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20.2%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #226 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #140 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Northbridge | Nashoba | Georgetown |
| High school in town | Northbridge High | None in town | Georgetown High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.8Highest |
— | 9.3Lowest |
| 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.