Town comparison · Massachusetts

Bolton vs Lancaster

Central MA · Central MA

Lancaster leads 3–2 on headline livability metrics

Across the six headline livability metrics (schools, safety, walkability, biking, affordability, and commute), Lancaster edges Bolton 3 to 2 with 1 tie. Median homes in Lancaster run roughly $269k cheaper than in Bolton, about 31% less. Schools tilt clearly toward Bolton (90 vs. 80).

The two towns at a glance

Bolton

Central MA · pop. 5,665

Bolton is one of the wealthiest small towns in Massachusetts with median household incomes approaching $200k and home prices over $850k. Acre-plus lots, conservation trails through the Nashoba Valley, and excellent Nashoba district schools make this a premium rural retreat.

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Lancaster

Central MA · pop. 8,606

Lancaster is a quiet historic town with a handsome center green, access to the Nashua River Rail Trail, and the Sterling Airport as a local landmark. Atlantic Union College closed and the campus is being redeveloped, but the town retains strong colonial-era character.

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Full Lancaster profile →

Head-to-head: every metric

	Bolton	Lancaster
Headline
Livability index	54 ✦	51
Economics
Median home	$858k ✦	$589k
Household income	$198k ✦	$135k
Price ÷ income	4.3×	4.4×
Tax burden	60	62 ✦
Schools & Safety
Schools	90 ✦	80
Safety	92 ✦	85
Getting around
Commute to Boston	55 min	58 min ✦
Walkability	10	15 ✦
Transit	8	12 ✦
Biking	25	28 ✦
Lifestyle
Dining	25	28 ✦
Nightlife	20	22 ✦
Arts & culture	22	22
Green space	58 ✦	48
Community
Diversity	22	28 ✦
Climate	71	71
5-yr trend	72 ✦	62

Clay = wins this metric. Direction matters: lower median home and shorter commute are better; everything else, higher is better.

Compare on your terms

These winners are based on a neutral, equal weighting of every metric. Your priorities are not neutral. Open Bolton vs Lancaster in the interactive atlas to tune schools, walkability, affordability, commute, and seven more dimensions, and watch the verdict change.

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About this comparison

Bay State Atlas ranks 194 Massachusetts towns using public data (Census ACS, MA DESE schools, Walk Score, MA Department of Revenue tax data, and the FBI UCR safety index) normalized to 0–100. Every weight is editable. This page is a static, indexable snapshot. The live tool is faster and lets you customize what counts.