Compare towns
Paxton vs Lancaster vs Leicester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Paxton has the most homeowners (91.8%).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Leicester has the most affordable homes ($413k 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 | Paxton | Lancaster | Leicester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,002Lowest |
8,606 |
11,113Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±3.3Lowest 4% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
42.4±3.5 6% above MA |
| Lancaster and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4 MA: 19.4% |
20.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Leicester and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±3.4Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.9%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
50.3% MA: 47.3% |
31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.9%±1.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.3%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $134,083±$8k 29% above MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$105,173±$9kLowest about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $472,300±$29k 16% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$413,100±$23kLowest 27% below MA |
| Lancaster and Paxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,386±$88Lowest 21% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,487±$258 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,129 19% above MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,452Lowest 26% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.2%±15.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
29.7%±14.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
3.8%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8%Highest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
88.5% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1965Lowest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 5% above MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
27 minLowest 6% below MA |
| Work from home | 25.5%±5.1 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.1%±4.1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Lancaster and Paxton 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 | #219 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #222 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Wachusett | Nashoba | Leicester |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Leicester High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.7 |
| 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.