Compare towns
Lancaster vs Plainfield 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%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k median).
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 | Plainfield | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606 |
1,314Lowest |
43,909Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
43.3±2.2 11% above U.S. |
| Plainfield 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% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest 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% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Plainfield 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% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Leominster and Lancaster 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. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$83,816±$7k 4% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$380,400±$14k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$1,354±$50 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$4,806Lowest 54% above U.S. |
$5,256 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Lancaster 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% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #145 of 282 in MA | — | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | — | Leominster |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.6 |
| 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.