What stands out worked out from the figures below

Preston has the shortest commute (22 min average).

Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Preston	Lancaster
People
Population	4,821Lowest	8,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+4.8% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	46.2±7Highest 19% above U.S.	43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S.
	Preston and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.7%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Lancaster and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Preston and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Preston and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,648±$27kLowest 44% above U.S.	$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$361,900±$13kLowest 9% above U.S.	$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,433±$1kLowest about the U.S. average	$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,749Lowest 52% above U.S.	$7,235Highest 132% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.6%±12.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lancaster and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	91.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	85.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 10 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 16% below U.S.	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	10.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#93 of 149 in CT	#145 of 282 in MA
School district	Preston School District	Nashoba
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.