Compare towns
Lowell vs Ware vs Worcester vs Chelmsford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lowell has the most kids (21.7% under 18).
Ware has the most affordable homes ($290k median).
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Chelmsford has the most people working from home (22.8%).
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 | Lowell | Ware | Worcester | Chelmsford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 118,368 |
10,048Lowest |
207,055Highest |
36,446 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% MA: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 35.6±0.8 11% below MA |
43.1±4.7Highest 8% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
41.6±1.9 4% above MA |
| Ware and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.7%±1.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.1%±3.5Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
21.6%±1.8 MA: 19.4% |
| Lowell and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.6%±3.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
18.1%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Ware and Chelmsford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30% MA: 47.3% |
24%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
35.2% MA: 47.3% |
52.8%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±2.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.3%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,658±$4k 24% below MA |
$67,475±$15kLowest 35% below MA |
$70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$140,629±$8kHighest 35% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $429,200±$11k 24% below MA |
$289,700±$28kLowest 48% below MA |
$374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$593,700±$17kHighest 6% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,625±$40 8% below MA |
$1,043±$109Lowest 41% below MA |
$1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$2,062±$151Highest 17% above MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,499 25% below MA |
$4,237Lowest 29% below MA |
$4,733 21% below MA |
$8,047Highest 34% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±3.8 MA: 51.8% |
64.3%±16.2Highest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
51.7%±10Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Ware and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.9% MA: 10% |
11.8% MA: 10% |
19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
4.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 43.2% MA: 62.5% |
72.3% MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
82.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1953 11 yrs older than MA |
1960 4 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
12.3%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
22.8%±2.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #255 of 282 in MA | #267 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #79 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Lowell | Ware | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Chelmsford |
| High school in town | Lowell High | Ware Junior/Senior High School | South High Community | Chelmsford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.1Lowest |
14.6 |
14.0 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.