Compare towns
Lancaster vs Bow 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%).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
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 | Bow | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606 |
8,335Lowest |
43,909Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
43.3±2.2Highest 11% above U.S. |
| Leominster and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bow 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±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$83,816±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Bow and Lancaster 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. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$380,400±$14kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,354±$50Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235 132% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$5,256Lowest 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Leominster 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% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%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 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Bow School District | Leominster |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
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.