Compare towns
Lunenburg vs Williston vs Leominster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lunenburg has the most homeowners (80.7%).
Williston has the most people working from home (22.3%).
Leominster has the most affordable homes ($380k median).
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 | Lunenburg | Williston | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,902 |
10,144Lowest |
43,909Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±2.1Lowest 11% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.3±2.2 11% above U.S. |
| Williston and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.1%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
19%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lunenburg and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Williston and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,828±$11kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$83,816±$7kLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $463,900±$24k 39% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$380,400±$14kLowest 14% above U.S. |
| Williston and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,354±$50Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,401Highest 105% above U.S. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$5,256Lowest 69% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.8%±13.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Leominster and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 15.8%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Lunenburg 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 | #87 of 282 in MA | #11 of 70 in VT | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lunenburg | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Leominster |
| High school in town | Lunenburg High | None in town | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4Highest |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| 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.