Compare towns
Webster vs Hanson vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Webster has the most affordable homes ($362k median).
Hanson has the most kids (21.6% under 18).
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.
| Measure | Webster | Hanson | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
10,660 |
8,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9Lowest about the MA average |
42.8±3 7% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
| Lancaster and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±3.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±3 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
42.6% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,895±$6kLowest 30% below MA |
$132,200±$10k 27% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
| Lancaster and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12kLowest 36% below MA |
$533,900±$36kHighest 5% below MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Hanson and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81Lowest 30% below MA |
$1,821±$860 3% above MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Lancaster and Hanson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999Lowest 33% below MA |
$6,402 7% above MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
69%±33.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Hanson and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.7%Highest MA: 10% |
2.7% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
89%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962Lowest 2 yrs older than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 5% above MA |
34 minHighest 15% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
7.9%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #149 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Whitman-Hanson | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | Whitman Hanson Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
14.7Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.