Compare towns
Webster vs Rowley vs Lancaster vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowley has the most expensive homes ($667k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Webster has the most renters (54.5% rent).
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 | Rowley | Lancaster | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,748Highest |
6,251Lowest |
8,606 |
12,228 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6% MA: +7.4% |
+5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±2.9 about the MA average |
50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
37.2±2.1Lowest 7% below MA |
| Rowley and Lancaster 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% |
19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.8%±3.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Webster 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% |
21.6%±4.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±2.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Rowley and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.3% MA: 47.3% |
56.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
18.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.8%±2.2 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Webster 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±$6k 30% below MA |
$132,734±$32k 28% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$63,837±$8kLowest 39% below MA |
| Lancaster and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $361,500±$12k 36% below MA |
$667,300±$52kHighest 19% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$333,100±$14kLowest 41% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,228±$81 30% below MA |
$1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,198±$85Lowest 32% below MA |
| Lancaster and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,999 33% below MA |
$8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$3,234Lowest 46% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.7%±6.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±27.3 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.1%±7.4 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.7% MA: 10% |
3.1% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
16%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.8% MA: 62.5% |
81.7% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
45.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1962 2 yrs older than MA |
1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1954Lowest 10 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
28 min 3% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
28 minLowest 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 8%±2.5 MA: 18.6% |
11.1%±4 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
7.1%±2.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #271 of 282 in MA | #214 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #271 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Webster | Triton | Nashoba | — |
| High school in town | Bartlett High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.6 |
— | — | — |
| 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.