Compare towns
Spencer vs Lancaster vs Fairhaven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Spencer has the most renters (37% rent).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Fairhaven has the shortest commute (29 min average).
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 | Spencer | Lancaster | Fairhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,008 |
8,606Lowest |
15,903Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+0.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.9±6.8Highest 22% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
48.5±3.4 21% above MA |
| Spencer and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.9Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
16.9%±2.7 MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±4.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±2.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Spencer and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
32.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Spencer and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,533±$11kLowest 23% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$95,965±$19k 8% below MA |
| Lancaster and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $382,000±$22kLowest 32% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$446,700±$19k 21% below MA |
| Lancaster and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,078±$161Lowest 39% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,118±$79 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,387 27% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$3,566Lowest 40% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±10.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.1%±14 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Fairhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
8.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968 4 yrs newer than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1952Lowest 12 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 18% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 15%±7.3 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.4%±3.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #261 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #126 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Spencer-E Brookfield | Nashoba | Fairhaven |
| High school in town | David Prouty High | None in town | Fairhaven High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| 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.