Compare towns
Lancaster vs Beacon Falls vs Leominster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Beacon Falls has the oldest population (median age 48.4).
Leominster has the most renters (37.7% rent).
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 | Lancaster | Beacon Falls | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606 |
6,147Lowest |
43,909Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48.4±3.8Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.3±2.2 11% above U.S. |
| Beacon Falls and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Beacon Falls and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Beacon Falls and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$101,516±$42k 26% above U.S. |
$83,816±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$350,300±$34kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$380,400±$14k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,921±$286 36% above U.S. |
$1,354±$50Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Lancaster and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,534 109% above U.S. |
$5,256Lowest 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.7%±30.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Beacon Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 20% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.3%±7.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Beacon Falls 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #77 of 149 in CT | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Regional School District 16 | Leominster |
| High school in town | None in town | Woodland Regional High School | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.