What stands out worked out from the figures below

Grafton has the most people working from home (22.4%).

Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).

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	Grafton	Worcester
People
Population	19,902Lowest	207,055Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	41.1±1.6Highest about the MA average	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA
Kids under 18	22.5%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Grafton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.5%±2.3Highest MA: 17.9%	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Grafton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	55.7%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$131,484±$11kHighest 26% above MA	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$525,300±$37kHighest 7% below MA	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$169Highest 15% below MA	$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA
	Grafton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,117Highest 19% above MA	$4,733Lowest 21% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	45.1%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8%
	Worcester and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.3%Lowest MA: 10%	19.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 13% above MA	24 minLowest 17% below MA
Work from home	22.4%±2.6Highest MA: 18.6%	11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#67 of 282 in MA	#266 of 282 in MA
School district	Grafton	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester
High school in town	Grafton High School	South High Community
Students per teacherat that high school	12.9Lowest	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.