The Town FilesLancaster, Massachusetts
Town in Worcester County · population 8,441 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $519,100
- Household income
- $134,833
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 68 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 43.1
Lancaster is a town of 8,441 people in Worcester County, Massachusetts. The median home is worth $519,100, close to the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). It ranks better for young professionals than 90% of Massachusetts towns, better transit than 78% of Massachusetts towns, better for retirees than 77% of Massachusetts towns.
How Lancaster ranks
Percentile among Massachusetts towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Massachusetts towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lancaster is worth $519,100, close to the typical Massachusetts town ($510,150). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $134,833, which is more affordable than 81% of Massachusetts towns. Median rent is $2,338 a month. 85.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lancaster | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $519,100 | $510,150 |
| Median rent | $2,338 | $1,561 |
| Median household income | $134,833 | $108,622 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 85.1% | 80.7% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1968 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lancaster
| People | Lancaster | Typical Massachusetts town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.1 | 44.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.9% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.3% | 45.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.4% | 6.3% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.4% | — |
| Work from home | 33.6% | 17.7% |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 30.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Lancaster
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 15.6°F. About 43.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 68.1 inches of snow (typical Massachusetts town: 49.5 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 137 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lancaster since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Massachusetts town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 9, 1953 about 9.3 miles from the town center and killed 90. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 91 deaths and 1,229 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 4, 2015.
Severe weather in Worcester County since 1996
Worcester County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2024 | Flood | DR-4780: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 15, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3599: Hurricane Lee |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4496: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3438: Covid-19 |
| July 19, 2018 | Snowstorm | DR-4379: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Worcester County
Worcester County had 351,476 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $71,641 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Lancaster itself the ACS puts it at 6.9%.
Public schools in Lancaster
2 public schools with 710 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Rowlandson Elementary | PK-5 | 461 | 12.1 |
| Luther Burbank Middle School | 6-8 | 249 | 10.8 |
Towns near Lancaster
- Clinton, MA4.5 mi · 8,166 people · home $375,600
- Harvard, MA4.7 mi · 6,851 people · home $833,600
- Bolton, MA4.8 mi · 5,665 people · home $796,000
- Clinton, MA5.0 mi · 15,428 people · home $387,300
- Leominster, MA5.5 mi · 43,782 people · home $380,400
- Sterling, MA5.7 mi · 7,985 people · home $498,800
- Shirley, MA6.5 mi · 7,431 people · home $427,600
- Ayer, MA7.1 mi · 2,986 people · home $444,600
Lancaster questions
Is Lancaster, Massachusetts a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lancaster scores better for retirees than 77% of Massachusetts towns and quieter than 65%. 19.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.1).
How much does a house cost in Lancaster?
The median owner-occupied home in Lancaster is valued at $519,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $134,833, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $2,338 a month.
What is the weather like in Lancaster?
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 15.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.4 inches of precipitation a year and 68.1 inches of snow.
Does Lancaster get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lancaster since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 9, 1953. The typical Massachusetts town has had 8.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)