What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lexington has the highest household income ($238k).

Worcester has the most affordable homes ($374k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lexington	Worcester
People
Population	34,295Lowest	207,055Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.7%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	47.3±0.8Highest 18% above MA	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA
Kids under 18	25.5%±1.8Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	21.7%±1.8Highest MA: 17.9%	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	84.3%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±0.7Lowest MA: 7.9%	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$238,444±$18kHighest 129% above MA	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,203,100±$35kHighest 114% above MA	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,891±$233Highest 64% above MA	$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA	$4,733Lowest 21% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.1%±7.1Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8%
	Worcester and Lexington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest MA: 10%	19.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.5%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	31 minHighest 5% above MA	24 minLowest 17% below MA
Work from home	36.7%±3Highest MA: 18.6%	11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#2 of 282 in MA	#266 of 282 in MA
School district	Lexington	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester
High school in town	Lexington High	South High Community
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.