Compare towns
Peabody vs Lee vs Leominster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Peabody has the most expensive homes ($596k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (16.4%).
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.
| Measure | Peabody | Lee | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
5,719Lowest |
43,909 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
55.2±5.8Highest 38% above MA |
43.3±2.2Lowest 8% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
12.6%±5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Leominster and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.3%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
33.4%±6.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% MA: 47.3% |
44.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
33.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5%±2.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Lee and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4kHighest 7% below MA |
$83,750±$13kLowest 19% below MA |
$83,816±$7k 19% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA |
$352,700±$19kLowest 37% below MA |
$380,400±$14k 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$1,375±$212 22% below MA |
$1,354±$50Lowest 23% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065 15% below MA |
$3,980Lowest 34% below MA |
$5,256Highest 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.3%±21.2 MA: 51.8% |
48.9%±5.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% MA: 10% |
7.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6% MA: 62.5% |
71.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 2 yrs newer than MA |
1959Lowest 5 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 11% below MA |
18 minLowest 38% below MA |
26 minHighest 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16.4%±7.8Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Lee and Leominster 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 | #228 of 282 in MA | #209 of 282 in MA | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Lee | Leominster |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Lee Middle/High School | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
9.2Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 20 photos → | 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.