Compare towns
Pepperell vs Douglas vs Lakeville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pepperell has the youngest population (median age 42.4).
Douglas has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Lakeville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
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 | Pepperell | Douglas | Lakeville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,663 |
9,207Lowest |
11,944Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±3.3Lowest 6% above MA |
44±2.6Highest 10% above MA |
43.8±1.9 9% above MA |
| Douglas and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±3.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Douglas and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±3.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
16.3%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Pepperell and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
41.7% MA: 47.3% |
38.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.3 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Lakeville and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,073±$12kLowest 19% above MA |
$152,267±$10kHighest 46% above MA |
$133,984±$11k 29% above MA |
| Douglas and Lakeville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $482,100±$14k 14% below MA |
$470,600±$29kLowest 16% below MA |
$565,900±$27kHighest about the MA average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,295±$238Lowest 27% below MA |
$1,503±$697 15% below MA |
$1,884±$466Highest 7% above MA |
| Lakeville and Douglas are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,698Highest 12% above MA |
$6,338 6% above MA |
$5,536Lowest 8% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.1 MA: 51.8% |
33.9%±17.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.5%±18.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lakeville and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8% MA: 10% |
4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
83.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1986Highest 22 yrs newer than MA |
1984 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 16% above MA |
34 minHighest 16% above MA |
33 minLowest 14% above MA |
| Work from home | 18.1%±2.7 MA: 18.6% |
20.9%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
15.2%±5.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Douglas and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #153 of 282 in MA | #177 of 282 in MA | #96 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Douglas | Freetown-Lakeville |
| High school in town | None in town | Douglas High School | Apponequet Regional High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.2Lowest |
10.9Highest |
| 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.