Compare towns
Leicester vs Worcester vs Holbrook
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Leicester has the most people working from home (13.1%).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Holbrook has the most expensive homes ($465k median).
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 | Leicester | Worcester | Holbrook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,113Lowest |
207,055Highest |
11,380 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.1%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+5.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±3.5 6% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
42.8±3.2Highest 7% above MA |
| Holbrook and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21.2%±4.4Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Holbrook and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.4 MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
19.1%±3.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Holbrook and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34.6% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±1.9 MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±2.1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,173±$9k about the MA average |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$115,210±$14kHighest 11% above MA |
| Holbrook and Leicester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $413,100±$23k 27% below MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$465,400±$21kHighest 17% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$258Highest 16% below MA |
$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$1,094±$423Lowest 38% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,452Lowest 26% below MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$6,105Highest about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.7%±14.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.8%±18.7 MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Holbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
7.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
84% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1957 7 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 6% below MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
38 minHighest 30% above MA |
| Work from home | 13.1%±4.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.1%±3.3 MA: 18.6% |
| Leicester and Holbrook 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 | #234 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Leicester | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Holbrook |
| High school in town | Leicester High | South High Community | Holbrook Middle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
14.6Highest |
14.3 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.