Compare towns
Hanover vs Worcester vs Medway
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($755k median).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Medway has the most people working from home (20.7%).
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 | Hanover | Worcester | Medway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,845 |
207,055Highest |
13,436Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.9% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+2.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.4Highest 4% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
40.7±2.3 about the MA average |
| Hanover and Medway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.1%±3.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.9 MA: 19.4% |
| Hanover and Medway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.1%±2.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Hanover and Medway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.8% MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
62.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.6Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,803±$23kHighest 83% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$173,750±$18k 67% above MA |
| Hanover and Medway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $755,400±$39kHighest 34% above MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$617,300±$21k 10% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,845±$341Highest 5% above MA |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,575±$205 11% below MA |
| Hanover and Medway are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,342Highest 56% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$8,730 46% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65%±23.8Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
35.3%±21.1Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Hanover and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.3%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.5% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 14 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1976 12 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 10% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
30 min 4% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.6%±4.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
20.7%±3.5Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Medway and Hanover 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 | #69 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #40 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Hanover · South Shore Regional Vocational Technical | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Medway |
| High school in town | South Shore Vocational Technical High | South High Community | Medway High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3Lowest |
14.6Highest |
13.8 |
| 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.