Compare towns
Leominster vs Pittsfield 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | Pittsfield | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,909Highest |
43,457 |
8,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±2.2Highest 8% above MA |
42.4±2Lowest 6% above MA |
43.1±4.9 8% above MA |
| Leominster and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest 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+ | 19.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.4%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Pittsfield 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% |
34.2% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1 MA: 7.9% |
6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Pittsfield 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±$7k 19% below MA |
$70,582±$5kLowest 32% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $380,400±$14k 32% below MA |
$256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,354±$50 23% below MA |
$1,134±$61Lowest 36% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,256 12% below MA |
$4,148Lowest 31% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.8%±5.7 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.2% MA: 10% |
14.9%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
62.8% MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 10% below MA |
19 minLowest 36% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
| Work from home | 10.9%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
10.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #233 of 282 in MA | #251 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Leominster | Pittsfield | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Leominster High School | Taconic High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Highest |
9.3Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.