What stands out worked out from the figures below

Leominster has the shortest commute (26 min average).

Sturbridge has the most people working from home (19.8%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Leominster	Sturbridge
People
Population	43,909Highest	9,960Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.3±2.2Lowest 8% above MA	47.2±2.6Highest 18% above MA
	Sturbridge and Leominster 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%	20.7%±3Highest MA: 19.4%
	Sturbridge 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%	19.8%±3Highest MA: 17.9%
	Sturbridge 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%	49.3%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Leominster and Sturbridge 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	$136,759±$15kHighest 32% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$380,400±$14kLowest 32% below MA	$425,800±$18kHighest 24% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,354±$50Highest 23% below MA	$1,193±$398Lowest 32% below MA
	Leominster and Sturbridge 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	$6,520Highest 9% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.9%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%	42%±17.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Leominster and Sturbridge 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%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	62.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%	86.3%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	26 minLowest 10% below MA	38 minHighest 30% above MA
Work from home	10.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	19.8%±4.8Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#233 of 282 in MA	#89 of 282 in MA
School district	Leominster	Sturbridge · Tantasqua
High school in town	Leominster High School	Tantasqua Regional Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	10.6Highest	7.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.