Compare towns
Pepperell vs Warner vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pepperell has the highest household income ($124k).
Warner has the most affordable homes ($353k median).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
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 | Pepperell | Warner | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,663 |
2,959Lowest |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±3.3Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43.7±4Highest 12% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1 11% above U.S. |
| Warner and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
17.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.1%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lunenburg and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Warner and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pepperell and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,073±$12kHighest 54% above U.S. |
$94,022±$18kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$112,828±$11k 40% above U.S. |
| Pepperell and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $482,100±$14kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$353,100±$22kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$463,900±$24k 39% above U.S. |
| Pepperell and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,295±$238 8% below U.S. |
$1,219±$123Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,974±$586Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Lunenburg and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,698 115% above U.S. |
$7,650Highest 145% above U.S. |
$6,401Lowest 105% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.7%±21.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Warner and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 28% above U.S. |
32 minLowest 20% above U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±2.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.6%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pepperell and Warner 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 | #153 of 282 in MA | — | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Kearsarge Regional School District | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.4 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.