Compare towns
Westfield vs Lancaster vs Montgomery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Westfield has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Lancaster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Montgomery has the oldest population (median age 49.7).
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 | Westfield | Lancaster | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 40,378Highest |
8,606 |
796Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-2.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.9±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
49.7±5.8Highest 24% above MA |
| Montgomery and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.1%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
22%±5.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Montgomery and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2 MA: 17.9% |
24.9%±7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Montgomery and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
38.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±1.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,753±$6kLowest 16% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$123,000±$19k 18% above MA |
| Lancaster and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $325,100±$11kLowest 42% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$357,500±$29k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,117±$60Lowest 37% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,746 21% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,283Lowest 29% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 46.5%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
50%±100 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Montgomery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.7%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
1.5% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1% MA: 62.5% |
96.3%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest same as MA |
1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 9% below MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
9.4%±6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #197 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Westfield | Nashoba | — |
| High school in town | Westfield High | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.9 |
— | — |
| 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.