What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sterling has the most affordable homes ($283k median).

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	Sterling	Lancaster
People
Population	3,629Lowest	8,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+4.8% U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	39.4±5.9Lowest about the U.S. average	43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22%	19.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Sterling and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	13%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Lancaster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sterling and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$102,695±$12kLowest 27% above U.S.	$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S.
	Lancaster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$283,400±$17kLowest 15% below U.S.	$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$2,338±$539 65% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S.	$7,235Highest 132% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lancaster and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	81.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.	1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 34% above U.S.	32 minLowest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	11.6%±6.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#119 of 149 in CT	#145 of 282 in MA
School district	Sterling 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.