Compare towns
Webster vs Lancaster vs Whitman vs Clinton
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).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Whitman has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
Clinton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
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 | Lancaster | Whitman | Clinton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
8,606Lowest |
15,295 |
15,563 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
+4.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
40.4±1.8 about the MA average |
38.6±2.7Lowest 4% below MA |
| Lancaster and Whitman 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% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.8%±2.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Whitman and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.1 MA: 17.9% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Webster 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% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
31.3% MA: 47.3% |
36.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
6.9%±2Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Clinton and Webster 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 |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$108,933±$14k 5% above MA |
$89,781±$10k 14% below MA |
| Lancaster and Whitman 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 |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$472,700±$12k 16% below MA |
$387,300±$19k 31% below MA |
| Lancaster and Whitman 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 |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,771±$151 about the MA average |
$1,402±$76 20% below MA |
| Lancaster and Whitman 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 |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$5,824 about the MA average |
$4,654 22% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
61.9%±13.4 MA: 51.8% |
40.3%±6.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Whitman 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% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
8.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.4% MA: 62.5% |
54.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
30 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.8%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
14.2%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #191 of 282 in MA | #246 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Nashoba | Whitman-Hanson | Clinton |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | None in town | Clinton Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6Lowest |
— | — | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.