Compare towns
Norton vs Lancaster vs Mansfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Norton has the youngest population (median age 39.6).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Mansfield has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Norton | Lancaster | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 19,240 |
8,606Lowest |
23,931Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.9% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.6±1.2Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
41.4±1.3 4% above MA |
| Lancaster and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
22.4%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Mansfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
51.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 12.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,535±$11kLowest 20% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$125,273±$15k 21% above MA |
| Lancaster and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $501,400±$27kLowest 11% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$603,500±$28kHighest 7% above MA |
| Mansfield and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,911±$375 8% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,803±$147Lowest about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,929Lowest about the MA average |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$7,226 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.6%±8.9 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
38.2%±8.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1980 16 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 12% above MA |
32 minLowest 9% above MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 19%±3.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
20%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #173 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #60 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Norton | Nashoba | Mansfield |
| High school in town | Norton High | None in town | Mansfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | 11.1Highest |
| 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.