Compare towns
Tyringham vs Lancaster vs Lee vs Otis
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Tyringham has the most expensive homes ($699k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 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 | Tyringham | Lancaster | Lee | Otis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 494Lowest |
8,606Highest |
5,719 |
1,624 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+1.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 59.2±2.7Highest 48% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
55.2±5.8 38% above MA |
51±3.2 28% above MA |
| Tyringham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 8.7%±5.3Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5 MA: 19.4% |
15.1%±4.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 35.2%±8.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1 MA: 17.9% |
28%±3.1 MA: 17.9% |
| Tyringham and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 66.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
44.1% MA: 47.3% |
39.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.4 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
2.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Lee and Tyringham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $163,333±$28kHighest 57% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$108,898±$6k 5% above MA |
| Tyringham and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $699,400±$96kHighest 24% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$396,700±$40k 29% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,050±$393Lowest 40% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
$1,318±$924 25% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,632 23% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$3,980 34% below MA |
$2,408Lowest 60% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60%±100 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
63.3%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.6% MA: 10% |
1.4% MA: 10% |
7.2%Highest MA: 10% |
1.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1974 10 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 23% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
34 min 15% above MA |
| Work from home | 26.2%±8 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
22.3%±7.7 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Tyringham 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 | — | #145 of 282 in MA | #209 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Nashoba | Lee | Farmington River Reg |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Lee Middle/High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 20 photos → | 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.