Compare towns
Auburn vs Leicester vs Oxford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
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%).
Oxford has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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 | Auburn | Leicester | Oxford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970Highest |
11,113Lowest |
13,385 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.1% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
42.4±3.5 6% above MA |
42±2.8Lowest 5% 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%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±3.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Oxford and Auburn 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%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
16.6%±2.7Lowest 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% MA: 47.3% |
29.6%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
6.7%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Oxford and Leicester 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±$9k about the MA average |
$103,862±$10kLowest 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±$16k 29% below MA |
$413,100±$23kHighest 27% below MA |
$374,900±$18kLowest 33% 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±$155 17% below MA |
$1,487±$258Highest 16% below MA |
$1,177±$142Lowest 33% 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 |
$4,622 23% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±14.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
57.8%±15.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Oxford and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
82.8% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Lowest 1 yr older than MA |
1965 1 yr newer than MA |
1972Highest 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 12% below MA |
27 min 6% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±4.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Oxford and Auburn 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 | #245 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Leicester | Oxford |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Leicester High | Oxford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.7 |
10.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.