Compare towns
Leyden vs Westminster vs Heath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leyden has the most homeowners (93.4%).
Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).
Heath has the most people working from home (31.7%).
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 | Leyden | Westminster | Heath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 637Lowest |
8,374Highest |
765 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2% MA: +7.4% |
+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.2±8.2 33% above MA |
48.3±4.6Lowest 21% above MA |
53.8±11.9Highest 35% above MA |
| Heath and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.8%±3.6 MA: 19.4% |
21.3%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Westminster and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.6%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
26%±5.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
33.6%±8.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Heath and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.9% MA: 47.3% |
46.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±2.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
1.8%±1.2 MA: 7.9% |
3.3%±2.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Heath and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,893±$13k about the MA average |
$106,331±$22kHighest about the MA average |
$98,750±$23kLowest 5% below MA |
| Westminster and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $372,900±$24k 34% below MA |
$422,000±$36kHighest 25% below MA |
$295,000±$45kLowest 48% below MA |
| Westminster and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,917±$451Highest 9% above MA |
$1,843±$268Lowest 5% above MA |
— |
| Leyden and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,651 22% below MA |
$4,973Highest 17% below MA |
$4,438Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±100 MA: 51.8% |
60%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
40%±100Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Westminster and Leyden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Highest MA: 10% |
2.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
87.6%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.3% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 12 yrs newer than MA |
1977 13 yrs newer than MA |
1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 12% above MA |
27 minLowest 7% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
| Work from home | 11%±5Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.5%±4.2 MA: 18.6% |
31.7%±17.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Heath and Westminster 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 | — | #112 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Ashburnham-Westminster | — |
| High school in town | — | Oakmont Regional High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.6 |
— |
| 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.