What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wellfleet has grown the fastest since 2010 (+29.7%).

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	Wellfleet	Lancaster
People
Population	4,404Lowest	8,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+29.7%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	58.4±4.1Highest 46% above MA	43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	14.4%±5.4Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Lancaster and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	35.3%±5.8Highest MA: 17.9%	19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.6%Highest MA: 47.3%	50.3%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±2.1 MA: 7.9%	3%±1.8 MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$117,938±$27kLowest 13% above MA	$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA
	Lancaster and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$855,300±$70kHighest 52% above MA	$519,100±$60kLowest 8% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,563±$597Lowest 11% below MA	$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA
	Lancaster and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,862Lowest 19% below MA	$7,235Highest 21% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	28.6%±23.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Lancaster and Wellfleet are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.2%Highest MA: 10%	1.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA	1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 19% above MA	32 minLowest 9% above MA
Work from home	20.7%±7.4Lowest MA: 18.6%	33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Lancaster and Wellfleet 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
School district	Wellfleet	Nashoba
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.