Compare towns
Auburn vs Becket vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the highest household income ($117k).
Becket has the most homeowners (98.2%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
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 | Auburn | Becket | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970 |
1,962Lowest |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6 12% above MA |
49.6±4.7Highest 24% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
| Becket and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.3%±3.6Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Auburn and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±2.2 MA: 17.9% |
21.3%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Becket and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.3% MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
3.4%±2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10kHighest 12% above MA |
$80,417±$29k 23% below MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
| Auburn and Becket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16kHighest 29% below MA |
$361,000±$82kLowest 36% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
$2,107±$1kHighest 20% above MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
| Becket and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289Highest 12% below MA |
$3,047Lowest 49% below MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
100%±100Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Becket and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
12.1% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
98.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 12% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
13.3%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Auburn and Becket 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 | #106 of 282 in MA | — | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Central Berkshire | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | None in town | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.