Compare towns
Lancaster vs West Wareham 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%).
West Wareham has the most affordable homes ($231k 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 | West Wareham | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,606 |
2,257Lowest |
43,909Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
57.6±13Highest 44% above MA |
43.3±2.2 8% above MA |
| West Wareham 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 MA: 19.4% |
14.8%±7.3Lowest 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% |
35%±3.3Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
18.4%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
33.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.7%±4.7 MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Leominster and West Wareham 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 |
$58,560±$15kLowest 44% below MA |
$83,816±$7k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$230,800±$104kLowest 59% below MA |
$380,400±$14k 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
— | $1,354±$50Lowest 23% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,765Lowest 20% below MA |
$5,256 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.3%±36.7 MA: 51.8% |
90.6%±37.4Highest MA: 51.8% |
48.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| West Wareham 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 MA: 10% |
19.9%Highest MA: 10% |
9.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
78.6% MA: 62.5% |
62.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971 7 yrs newer than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 9% above MA |
22 minLowest 23% below MA |
26 min 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
17.7%±13.8 MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and West Wareham 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 | — | #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 |
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.