Compare towns
Auburn vs Epping vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the highest household income ($117k).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
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 | Epping | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970 |
7,430Lowest |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6 15% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5Highest 16% above U.S. |
33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Epping 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Epping 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
37% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10kHighest 45% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
| Auburn and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16k 20% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Epping and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
| Epping and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289 70% above U.S. |
$6,936Highest 122% above U.S. |
$4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #106 of 282 in MA | #77 of 120 in NH | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Epping School District | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Epping High School | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
9.3Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| 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.