Compare towns
Lancaster vs Suffield vs Windsor 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%).
Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Windsor has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
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 | Suffield | Windsor | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,606Lowest |
15,702 |
29,468 |
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. |
44.5±1.7Highest 14% above U.S. |
43.7±1.9 12% above U.S. |
43.3±2.2 11% above U.S. |
| Suffield and Windsor 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% |
16.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Windsor 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% |
40.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor 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. |
$119,472±$13k 48% above U.S. |
$104,725±$8k 30% above U.S. |
$83,816±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Suffield 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. |
$407,500±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$305,200±$11kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$380,400±$14k 14% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,424±$141 about the U.S. average |
$1,681±$62 19% above U.S. |
$1,354±$50Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$6,456 107% above U.S. |
$5,351 72% above U.S. |
$5,256Lowest 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51%±4.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.9%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±5.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Suffield 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% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.4%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±3.2 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 | #57 of 149 in CT | #117 of 149 in CT | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Nashoba | Suffield School District | Capitol Region Education Council · Windsor School District | Leominster |
| High school in town | None in town | Suffield High School | Windsor High School | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
10.2Lowest |
10.6 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.