What stands out worked out from the figures below

Winchendon has the most affordable homes ($324k median).

Westminster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Winchendon	Westminster
People
Population	10,440Highest	8,374Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+12.9%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	39.6±1.9Lowest about the MA average	48.3±4.6Highest 21% above MA
Kids under 18	21.8%±3.9Highest MA: 19.4%	21.3%±4.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Winchendon and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 17.9%	26%±5.7Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	21.4%Lowest MA: 47.3%	45.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Highest MA: 7.9%	1.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Winchendon and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,690±$14kLowest 27% below MA	$106,331±$22kHighest about the MA average
	Westminster and Winchendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$323,800±$19kLowest 42% below MA	$422,000±$36kHighest 25% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,255±$163Lowest 29% below MA	$1,843±$268Highest 5% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,780Lowest 37% below MA	$4,973Highest 17% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	61.7%±17.6Highest MA: 51.8%	60%±27.3Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Winchendon and Westminster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	18.5%Highest MA: 10%	2.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	76.6%Lowest MA: 62.5%	87.6%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 17 yrs newer than MA	1977Lowest 13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 11% above MA	27 minLowest 7% below MA
Work from home	11.2%±3.1Lowest MA: 18.6%	12.5%±4.2Highest MA: 18.6%
	Westminster and Winchendon 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	#269 of 282 in MA	#112 of 282 in MA
School district	Winchendon	Ashburnham-Westminster
High school in town	Murdock High School	Oakmont Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.3Lowest	13.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.