What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canton has the most people working from home (25.7%).

Worcester has the most affordable homes ($374k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Canton	Worcester
People
Population	24,748Lowest	207,055Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.6±2.3Highest 7% above MA	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA
Kids under 18	22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	18.8%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	67.5%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9%	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$143,381±$9kHighest 38% above MA	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$710,600±$27kHighest 26% above MA	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,315±$178Highest 31% above MA	$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,560Highest 9% above MA	$4,733Lowest 21% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.4%±9.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8%
	Worcester and Canton 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%	19.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.6%Highest MA: 62.5%	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	36 minHighest 23% above MA	24 minLowest 17% below MA
Work from home	25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6%	11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#81 of 282 in MA	#266 of 282 in MA
School district	Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester
High school in town	Canton High	South High Community
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.