Compare towns
Leominster vs Needham vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leominster has the most affordable homes ($380k median).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
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 | Leominster | Needham | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,909Highest |
32,459 |
8,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% MA: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±2.2Highest 8% above MA |
43.1±1.6Lowest 8% above MA |
43.1±4.9Lowest 8% above MA |
| Leominster and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±1.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±1.9 MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 33.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1 MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Needham and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,816±$7kLowest 19% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$134,833±$27k 30% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $380,400±$14kLowest 32% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$519,100±$60k 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,354±$50Lowest 23% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$2,338±$539 33% above MA |
| Needham and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,256Lowest 12% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$7,235 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
3.7% MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 10% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Needham 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 | #233 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Leominster | Needham | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Leominster High School | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Lowest |
11.9Highest |
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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.