Compare towns
Decatur vs Worcester vs Worcester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New York.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Decatur has the oldest population (median age 55.3).
Worcester has the most people working from home (10.5%).
Worcester has the shortest commute (26 min average).
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 | Decatur | Worcester | Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 328Lowest |
1,032 |
2,149Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -11.4%Lowest NY: +4.2% |
-4.9%Highest NY: +4.2% |
| Median age | 55.3±7.6Highest 39% above NY |
35±13.3Lowest 12% below NY |
43.2±6.9 9% above NY |
| Decatur and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±4.9Lowest NY: 20.5% |
24.9%±6.4Highest NY: 20.5% |
20.3%±3.3 NY: 20.5% |
| Worcester and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.7%±6.1Highest NY: 17.9% |
15.7%±6.1Lowest NY: 17.9% |
17.4%±2.6 NY: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.7%Lowest NY: 40.2% |
23.8% NY: 40.2% |
26.9%Highest NY: 40.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±5Lowest NY: 7% |
8.1%±9.4Highest NY: 7% |
6.5%±5.5 NY: 7% |
| Worcester and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,375±$19k 19% below NY |
$64,474±$30kLowest 25% below NY |
$69,886±$23kHighest 19% below NY |
| Worcester and Decatur are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $173,500±$40kHighest 59% below NY |
$145,700±$40kLowest 66% below NY |
$155,300±$43k 63% below NY |
| Decatur and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $765±$109Highest 53% below NY |
— | $736±$327Lowest 55% below NY |
| Decatur and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,404Highest 48% below NY |
$1,498Lowest 77% below NY |
$2,602 60% below NY |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50%±100Lowest NY: 52.1% |
100%±100Highest NY: 52.1% |
91.8%±41.9 NY: 52.1% |
| Worcester and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8%Lowest NY: 14% |
35.9%Highest NY: 14% |
21.7% NY: 14% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93%Highest NY: 54.3% |
86.1%Lowest NY: 54.3% |
90.7% NY: 54.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Highest 13 yrs newer than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 6% above NY |
33 min about the NY average |
26 minLowest 19% below NY |
| Work from home | 5.8%±3.3Lowest NY: 14.9% |
10.5%±8.4Highest NY: 14.9% |
8.4%±4.6 NY: 14.9% |
| Worcester and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NY 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.