Compare towns
Auburn vs Ware vs Worcester vs Millbury
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%).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Millbury has the most expensive homes ($450k median).
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 | Ware | Worcester | Millbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,970 |
10,048Lowest |
207,055Highest |
13,961 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
43.1±4.7 8% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
42.6±3.1 7% above MA |
| Auburn and Ware 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% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Auburn and Millbury 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% |
20.6%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Ware 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% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
36.1% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$118,790±$13kHighest 14% above MA |
| Millbury 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 |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$450,100±$19kHighest 20% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,467±$155 17% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,623±$232Highest 8% below MA |
| Millbury and Worcester 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 |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$5,406Highest 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1963 1 yr older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 12% below MA |
28 min about the MA average |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.8%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Millbury 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 | #267 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #202 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Auburn | Ware | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Millbury |
| High school in town | Auburn Senior High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | South High Community | Millbury Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
11.1Lowest |
14.6Highest |
11.3 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.