Compare towns
Leicester vs Lancaster vs Paxton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leicester has the most affordable homes ($413k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Paxton has the most homeowners (91.8%).
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 | Leicester | Lancaster | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,113Highest |
8,606 |
5,002Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.1% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±3.5 6% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
41.8±3.3Lowest 4% above MA |
| Lancaster and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Leicester and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
54.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,173±$9kLowest about the MA average |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
| Lancaster and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$23kLowest 27% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$472,300±$29k 16% below MA |
| Lancaster and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$258 16% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,386±$88Lowest 21% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,452Lowest 26% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$7,129 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±14.8 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Paxton 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 | #222 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Leicester | Nashoba | Wachusett |
| High school in town | Leicester High | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
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| 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.