What stands out worked out from the figures below

Norton has the most people working from home (19%).

Leominster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).

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	Norton	Leominster
People
Population	19,240Lowest	43,909Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.6±1.2Lowest about the MA average	43.3±2.2Highest 8% above MA
Kids under 18	17.3%±2.3Lowest MA: 19.4%	19%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4%
	Leominster and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.4%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9%	19.3%±1.9Highest MA: 17.9%
	Leominster and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.8%Highest MA: 47.3%	33.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	12.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	4.9%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$124,535±$11kHighest 20% above MA	$83,816±$7kLowest 19% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$501,400±$27kHighest 11% below MA	$380,400±$14kLowest 32% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,911±$375Highest 8% above MA	$1,354±$50Lowest 23% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,929Highest about the MA average	$5,256Lowest 12% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.6%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8%	48.9%±5.6Highest MA: 51.8%
	Leominster and Norton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%	9.2%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	62.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA	1967Lowest 3 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 12% above MA	26 minLowest 10% below MA
Work from home	19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6%	10.9%±2.1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#173 of 282 in MA	#233 of 282 in MA
School district	Norton	Leominster
High school in town	Norton High	Leominster High School
Students per teacherat that high school	10.9Highest	10.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.