Compare towns
Auburn vs Salem 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 homeowners (79.6%).
Salem has the most people working from home (21.6%).
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 | Salem | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,970Lowest |
44,795 |
207,055Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+7.6% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
39.3±1.5 about the MA average |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
15.7%±1.7Lowest 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%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.2%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Salem 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% |
47.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
8.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10kHighest 12% above MA |
$85,153±$5k 18% below MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $400,000±$16k 29% below MA |
$542,800±$18kHighest 3% below MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,836±$84Highest 4% above MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,289 12% below MA |
$6,114Highest about the MA average |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.9%±4.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
| Salem 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%Highest MA: 62.5% |
49.7% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
1951 13 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 12% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
21.6%±2.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #106 of 282 in MA | #248 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Salem | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Salem High | South High Community |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
9.8Lowest |
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.