Compare towns
Auburn vs Kingston 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 most kids (21% under 18).
Kingston has the most expensive homes ($611k median).
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 | Kingston | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970 |
14,027Lowest |
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 |
46.5±3.9Highest 16% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
| Kingston 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% |
19.9%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Auburn and Kingston 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% |
22.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Kingston 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% MA: 47.3% |
48.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
$119,876±$13kHighest 15% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
| Kingston and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16k 29% below MA |
$610,600±$30kHighest 9% above MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155 17% below MA |
$1,159±$244Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
| Worcester and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289 12% below MA |
$7,650Highest 28% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
35.9%±13Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6% MA: 62.5% |
81.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 12% below MA |
35 minHighest 20% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
19.5%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Kingston and Auburn 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 | #99 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Kingston · Silver Lake | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Silver Lake Regional High | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
12.0Lowest |
14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.