Compare towns

Harvard vs Worcester vs Littleton

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Littleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).

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.

MeasureHarvardWorcesterLittleton
People
Population
6,927Lowest
207,055Highest
10,280
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+5.1%Lowest
MA: +7.4%
+14.1%Highest
MA: +7.4%
+13.6%
MA: +7.4%
Median age
44.1±4.7Highest
10% above MA
33.9±0.5Lowest
15% below MA
43.5±2
9% above MA
Harvard and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
21.1%±4.5
MA: 19.4%
19.6%±0.8Lowest
MA: 19.4%
22.2%±3.2Highest
MA: 19.4%
Littleton and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
16.3%±2.8
MA: 17.9%
13.3%±0.6Lowest
MA: 17.9%
17.6%±2.8Highest
MA: 17.9%
Littleton and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
62%Highest
MA: 47.3%
35.2%Lowest
MA: 47.3%
59.6%
MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.8%±1.5Lowest
MA: 7.9%
14.1%±0.8Highest
MA: 7.9%
4.7%±1.7
MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$213,996±$24kHighest
106% above MA
$70,102±$2kLowest
33% below MA
$149,722±$31k
44% above MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$833,600±$54kHighest
48% above MA
$374,400±$7kLowest
33% below MA
$658,300±$40k
17% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,321±$424Lowest
25% below MA
$1,487±$38
16% below MA
$2,016±$507Highest
14% above MA
Littleton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$10,000+Highest
at least 67% above MA
$4,733Lowest
21% below MA
$9,458
58% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
72.5%±51.5Highest
MA: 51.8%
54.2%±2.9Lowest
MA: 51.8%
55.7%±13.4
MA: 51.8%
Harvard and Littleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.5%Lowest
MA: 10%
19.6%Highest
MA: 10%
5.6%
MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
89.4%Highest
MA: 62.5%
42.8%Lowest
MA: 62.5%
83.6%
MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975
11 yrs newer than MA
1951Lowest
13 yrs older than MA
1977Highest
13 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
32 min
9% above MA
24 minLowest
17% below MA
33 minHighest
14% above MA
Work from home
44.8%±6.1Highest
MA: 18.6%
11.5%±1Lowest
MA: 18.6%
22.8%±4.3
MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #12 of 282 in MA #266 of 282 in MA #52 of 282 in MA
School district Harvard Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester Littleton
High school in town The Bromfield High School South High Community Littleton High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.0Lowest
14.6Highest
13.1
On TownTapestry
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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.