Saturday, January 18, 2025
1/18/2025
The City of Leominster, located in North Central Massachusetts, is often described as a “big little town” where many residents know each other and have grown up together. While technically a city, based on population size, it still has a small town feel. Many residents have lived in the city all their lives with an increasing number of recent transplants due to its proximity to highways and commuter rail that connect to larger cities throughout the state (i.e., Boston, Worcester, Lowell) as well as cities in New Hampshire. Leominster is perceived as safer and having better schools than neighboring communities. Leominster has a history of manufacturing (e.g., paper, plastics – including Tupperware and pink flamingos), but most of these companies have closed or their major manufacturing sites are now located elsewhere. Leominster has become more commercial and suburban. People move here for more affordable housing options, while still having a manageable commute to major urban areas where salaries are higher. The combination of long-time residents and recent transplants results in an interesting dynamic where some youth are deeply connected to the city over many generations whereas others are new to the area and bring in new ideas. The City has a population of 41,579 residents with 21.7% (n=9,034) under the age of 18 (all data from the US Census Bureau, 2018 American Community Survey [ACS], 5-year estimates (2014-2018), unless otherwise noted). Many residents trace their roots back to the English, Irish, and French Canadians. The majority of the population identifies as White (81.8%), with 5.8% Black/African American, 3.2% Asian, and 3.4% multiracial; 18.8% identify as Hispanic/Latino (of any race). The majority of the City’s population speaks only English or speaks English “very well”; 15.4% of the population over the age of 5 speak Spanish. The median income for a family with children is $61,408, however, the median income of a single mother with children under the age of 18 (14.8% of families) is $19,880. Overall, 13.3% of the population lives in poverty. Leominster Public Schools (LPS) enrolled 6,078 students in the 2019-2020 school year, including 1,411 in middle school (grades 6-8) and 1,877 in high school. Compared to the state, LPS has higher rates of students whose first language is not English (27.7% vs. 23.0%), English Language Learners (11.9% vs. 10.8%), students with disabilities (23.4% vs. 18.4%), high needs students (57.0% vs. 48.7%), and economically disadvantaged students (40.8% vs. 32.8%). Aside from the recent COVID-19-related changes, Leominster typically offers many opportunities for youth to be involved with school athletics as well as other extracurricular activities that are supported by the City. Most students advance through school with peers from their neighborhood. With its own technical school attached to the high school, Leominster students stay in the City for vocational/technical education whereas neighboring municipalities share regional technical schools often located outside of the immediate area. In a typical year, the City hosts a number of community-based events including the Summer Stroll, Starburst Concert, Kids Day, Johnny Appleseed Fair, Halloween Parade, Winter Festival and the Festival of Trees, all of which are geared toward the youth of the city. Leominster also houses the local shopping mall where youth from surrounding communities have historically gathered together. The Leominster Community Action Team (LCAT) has been working to prevent youth substance use in the City of Leominster since 2008. Data has indicated troubling results related to youth substance use, thus LCAT proposes to re-energize efforts to grow the coalition and prevent youth use of alcohol and marijuana.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).