Compare towns
Pepperell vs Westminster 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).
Westminster has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Westminster | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,663 |
2,999Lowest |
11,902Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±3.3Lowest 9% above U.S. |
53.5±3.7Highest 38% above U.S. |
43.2±2.1 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.7Lowest 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% |
27.6%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.9%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Pepperell and Westminster 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. |
$71,491±$4kLowest 11% below 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. |
$273,800±$35kLowest 18% below 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. |
$916±$126Lowest 35% 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 | $6,698Highest 115% above U.S. |
$4,063Lowest 30% above U.S. |
$6,401 105% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±16.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49.2%±7.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.8%±13.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Westminster 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% |
8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 28% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
36 minHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Westminster and Pepperell 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 | #53 of 70 in VT | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | North Middlesex | Bellows Falls Union High School District #27 · Westminster School District | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | None in town | Bellows Falls Union High School | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6Lowest |
12.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.