Compare towns
Lancaster vs Lee vs Leominster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Leominster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
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 | Lancaster | Lee | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606 |
5,719Lowest |
43,909Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
43.3±2.2 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| 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 MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
44.1% MA: 47.3% |
33.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Lee 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 30% above MA |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$83,816±$7k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$380,400±$14k 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
$1,354±$50Lowest 23% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,256 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
48.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
71.1% MA: 62.5% |
62.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
26 min 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #145 of 282 in MA | #209 of 282 in MA | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Lee | Leominster |
| High school in town | None in town | Lee Middle/High School | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.2Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 20 photos → | 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.