Compare towns
Merrimac vs Lee vs Rochester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Merrimac has the highest household income ($123k).
Lee has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Rochester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.3%).
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 | Merrimac | Lee | Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,748Highest |
5,719Lowest |
5,837 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+9.3%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.4±6.8 24% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
46.5±6Lowest 16% above MA |
| Lee and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.5%±6.2 MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
20.1%±4.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Rochester and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±5.8 MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
20.1%±4.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lee and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
43.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Lee and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $123,054±$16kHighest 18% above MA |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$120,273±$12k 16% above MA |
| Merrimac and Rochester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $553,400±$38k about the MA average |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$599,100±$31kHighest 7% above MA |
| Rochester and Merrimac are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,352±$325Lowest 23% below MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
$1,432±$743Highest 19% below MA |
| Rochester and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,399Highest 23% above MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$6,530 9% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.3%±29.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
39.1%±10.2Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Merrimac and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest MA: 10% |
7.2% MA: 10% |
5.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.3% MA: 62.5% |
71.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 18 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 10% above MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
37 minHighest 25% above MA |
| Work from home | 8.5%±3.4 MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.3%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lee and Merrimac 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 | #188 of 282 in MA | #209 of 282 in MA | #104 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pentucket | Lee | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical · Rochester |
| High school in town | None in town | Lee Middle/High School | Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.2Highest |
9.1Lowest |
| 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.