Compare towns
Wrentham vs Lancaster vs Plainville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wrentham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Plainville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20.3%).
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 | Wrentham | Lancaster | Plainville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 12,297Highest |
8,606Lowest |
9,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.2% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.8±3.2Highest 17% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
43.2±3.6 8% above MA |
| Wrentham and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±2.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
18.3%±4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Wrentham and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±2.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
22.2%±3.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Plainville and Wrentham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
44.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.4Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.3%±2.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Wrentham and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,676±$17kHighest 46% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
$104,106±$13kLowest about the MA average |
| Wrentham and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $654,900±$26kHighest 17% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
$476,000±$35kLowest 15% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,184±$628Lowest 33% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,977±$197 12% above MA |
| Lancaster and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,373Highest 23% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
$5,329Lowest 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.6%±15.4Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
53.8%±13.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.4%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.4%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1971Lowest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1978 14 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 11% above MA |
32 min 9% above MA |
29 minLowest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.9%±4.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Wrentham 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 | #49 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #102 of 282 in MA |
| School district | King Philip · Wrentham | Nashoba | Plainville |
| High school in town | King Philip Regional High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
— | — |
| 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.