What stands out worked out from the figures below

Leicester has the most homeowners (88.5%).

Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).

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	Leicester	Worcester
People
Population	11,113Lowest	207,055Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.4±3.5Highest 6% above MA	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA
Kids under 18	20.2%±3.8Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
	Leicester and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.9%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9%	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31%Lowest MA: 47.3%	35.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9%	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$105,173±$9kHighest about the MA average	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$413,100±$23kHighest 27% below MA	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$258 16% below MA	$1,487±$38 16% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,452Lowest 26% below MA	$4,733Highest 21% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.7%±14.8Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8%
Below poverty line	3.8%Lowest MA: 10%	19.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.5%Highest MA: 62.5%	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 6% below MA	24 minLowest 17% below MA
Work from home	13.1%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6%	11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Leicester and Worcester 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	#222 of 282 in MA	#266 of 282 in MA
School district	Leicester	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester
High school in town	Leicester High	South High Community
Students per teacherat that high school	10.7Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.