Compare towns
Kingston vs Worcester vs Lunenburg
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kingston has the most expensive homes ($611k median).
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Lunenburg has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.8%).
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 | Kingston | Worcester | Lunenburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 14,027 |
207,055Highest |
11,902Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1% MA: +7.4% |
+16.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.5±3.9Highest 16% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
43.2±2.1 8% above MA |
| Kingston and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.2 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.1%±3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Lunenburg and Kingston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.8%±3.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.9%±2.7 MA: 17.9% |
| Kingston and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
44% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.2%±1.8 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $119,876±$13kHighest 15% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$112,828±$11k 9% above MA |
| Kingston and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $610,600±$30kHighest 9% above MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$463,900±$24k 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,159±$244Lowest 34% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,974±$586Highest 12% above MA |
| Lunenburg and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,650Highest 28% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$6,401 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.9%±13Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
45.8%±13.5 MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Lunenburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
80.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 18 yrs newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 min 20% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
36 minHighest 24% above MA |
| Work from home | 19.5%±4.9Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
15.8%±3.5 MA: 18.6% |
| Kingston and Lunenburg 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 | #99 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #87 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Kingston · Silver Lake | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Lunenburg |
| High school in town | Silver Lake Regional High | South High Community | Lunenburg High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.0Lowest |
14.6Highest |
12.4 |
| 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.