Compare towns
Leominster vs Windsor Locks vs Lancaster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leominster has the most renters (37.7% rent).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k 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 | Windsor Locks | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,909Highest |
12,579 |
8,606Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.3±2.2Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.4±2.6Lowest 6% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9 11% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lancaster and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windsor Locks 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 4% above U.S. |
$81,205±$13kLowest about the U.S. average |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $380,400±$14k 14% above U.S. |
$258,800±$14kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,354±$50Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,394±$187 about the U.S. average |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,256 69% above U.S. |
$3,688Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.2%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #233 of 282 in MA | #109 of 149 in CT | #145 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Leominster | Windsor Locks School District | Nashoba |
| High school in town | Leominster High School | Windsor Locks High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.6Highest |
8.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.