What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.3%).

Leicester has the most homeowners (88.5%).

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	Auburn	Leicester
People
Population	16,970Highest	11,113Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.3%Highest MA: +7.4%	+1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA	42.4±3.5Lowest 6% above MA
	Auburn and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%	20.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Auburn and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	18.9%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Auburn and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.4%Highest MA: 47.3%	31%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	6.3%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9%
	Leicester and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$116,711±$10kHighest 12% above MA	$105,173±$9kLowest about the MA average
	Auburn and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$400,000±$16kLowest 29% below MA	$413,100±$23kHighest 27% below MA
	Leicester and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA	$1,487±$258Highest 16% below MA
	Leicester and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,289Highest 12% below MA	$4,452Lowest 26% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±10.5Highest MA: 51.8%	29.7%±14.8Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Auburn and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Highest MA: 10%	3.8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	88.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA	1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 12% below MA	27 minHighest 6% below MA
Work from home	14.1%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6%	13.1%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Auburn and Leicester 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	#106 of 282 in MA	#222 of 282 in MA
School district	Auburn	Leicester
High school in town	Auburn Senior High	Leicester High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	10.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.