Compare towns
Peabody vs Westhampton 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).
Westhampton has the most homeowners (91.4%).
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 | Westhampton | Leominster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 54,695Highest |
1,552Lowest |
43,909 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.3% MA: +7.4% |
+0.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.3±2.4 13% above MA |
49.3±4.9Highest 23% above MA |
43.3±2.2Lowest 8% above MA |
| Westhampton and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.7%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
18%±4.1Lowest 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% |
25.4%±2.8Highest MA: 17.9% |
19.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Westhampton and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35% MA: 47.3% |
47%Highest MA: 47.3% |
33.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Leominster and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,657±$4k 7% below MA |
$100,000±$7kHighest 4% below MA |
$83,816±$7kLowest 19% below MA |
| Westhampton and Peabody are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $596,200±$12kHighest 6% above MA |
$413,200±$24k 26% below MA |
$380,400±$14kLowest 32% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,950±$99Highest 11% above MA |
$1,304±$229Lowest 26% below MA |
$1,354±$50 23% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,065Lowest 15% below MA |
$6,476Highest 8% above MA |
$5,256 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.3%±5.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
33.3%±53.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
48.9%±5.6 MA: 51.8% |
| Peabody and Leominster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% MA: 10% |
6.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
9.2%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 65.6% MA: 62.5% |
91.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
62.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966Lowest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1969Highest 5 yrs newer than MA |
1967 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 11% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
26 min 10% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.3%±1.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±4Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.9%±2.1 MA: 18.6% |
| Westhampton 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 | — | #233 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Peabody | Hampshire · Westhampton | Leominster |
| High school in town | Peabody Veterans Memorial High | Hampshire Regional High | Leominster High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
10.0Lowest |
10.6Highest |
| 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.