Massachusetts Real Estate & Relocation Guide

Leominster, Massachusetts

Population: 41,303

Located in Worcester County

Leominster is located just 10 miles from New Hampshire and 50 miles from Boston, with excellent access via highway or MBTA commuter train to all points. The former reliance on the paper industry in the community has given way to a healthier economic diversification which now includes pharmaceuticals, tool and die makers, machine manufacturers, plastic molders and textile producers.

Leominster's location on the Nashua River led to its development initially as an industrial center where mills were built to take advantage of the readily available water power. The construction of rail lines passing through Leominster on the Boston to Albany line increased the city's position as a manufacturing center.

Heavy industries such as machine and tool works, clothing, and paper mills were the engines of significant growth throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. These heavy industries attracted large numbers of European immigrants to Leominster. The families that came seeking work usually chose to settle close to others with the same background, producing ethnic neighborhoods which retain much of their identity today.

Already a diverse city, Leominster has seen its ethnic and racial diversity increase even further over the last decade. In addition to the groups which came to Leominster during the Industrial Era (Irish, Italian, Finnish, German, English, Welsh, French-Canadian, and many others), Leominster has added substantial numbers of Hispanics, Southeast Asians, and African Americans.

As a relatively large and prosperous city in a mainly rural area, Leominster developed into the primary commercial center for the region during the first half of the 20th century, with the downtown area growing into a popular shopping and entertainment zone. The demand for housing located within walking distance of Leominster's places of employment led to the development of a dense multifamily housing stock in the center of the city. Just over half of Leominster's housing units were built prior to World War II.

This loss of more traditional industries has, in recent years, been mitigated by growth in non-manufacturing industries such as construction and professional services, as well as a rise in certain manufacturing industries such as plastics, medical goods and services, and chemicals. Thus, Leominster still has a great manufacturing and business base which means many of the families live right where they work.

Leominster is certainly a city with charm and a rich history of diversity. The elements that make up a quality neighborhood are as diverse as the people in them. In Leominster, you'll find them all.