What stands out worked out from the figures below

Whately has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).

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	Whately	Lancaster
People
Population	1,499Lowest	8,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	49.3±6.7Highest 23% above MA	43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA
	Whately and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.4%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4%
	Lancaster and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.5%±6.3Highest MA: 17.9%	19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Whately and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.6%Lowest MA: 47.3%	50.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.5%±1.4Lowest MA: 7.9%	3%±1.8Highest MA: 7.9%
	Lancaster and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,563±$15kLowest 12% above MA	$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA
	Lancaster and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$431,500±$22kLowest 23% below MA	$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$977±$125Lowest 45% below MA	$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,027Lowest 16% below MA	$7,235Highest 21% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26.7%±29Lowest MA: 51.8%	68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8%
	Lancaster and Whately are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Highest MA: 10%	1.4%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA	1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 21% below MA	32 minHighest 9% above MA
Work from home	20.4%±8.5Lowest MA: 18.6%	33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6%
	Lancaster and Whately 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	Whately	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.