Compare towns
Leicester vs Townsend 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 shortest commute (27 min average).
Townsend has the most renters (18% rent).
Paxton has the most people working from home (25.5%).
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 | Townsend | Paxton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,113Highest |
9,100 |
5,002Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+2.3% MA: +7.4% |
+4.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±3.5Highest 6% above MA |
40.9±3.3Lowest about the MA average |
41.8±3.3 4% above MA |
| Leicester and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
21%±3.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Townsend and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.4%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Leicester and Paxton 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% |
35.5% MA: 47.3% |
54.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,173±$9kLowest about the MA average |
$121,528±$23k 17% above MA |
$134,083±$8kHighest 29% above MA |
| Paxton and Townsend 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 |
$433,200±$22k 23% below MA |
$472,300±$29kHighest 16% below MA |
| Paxton and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$258Highest 16% below MA |
$1,469±$313 17% below MA |
$1,386±$88Lowest 21% below MA |
| Leicester and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,452Lowest 26% below MA |
$6,031 about the MA average |
$7,129Highest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±14.8 MA: 51.8% |
50.6%±16.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Townsend and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% MA: 10% |
8.9%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% MA: 62.5% |
82%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest 6% below MA |
37 minHighest 27% above MA |
31 min 5% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.1 MA: 18.6% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.5%±5.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #222 of 282 in MA | #136 of 282 in MA | #219 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Leicester | North Middlesex | Wachusett |
| High school in town | Leicester High | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| 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.