What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lynn has the most expensive homes ($510k median).

Worcester has the most people working from home (11.5%).

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	Lynn	Worcester
People
Population	101,709Lowest	207,055Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.1%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	36.5±1.2Highest 9% below MA	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA
Kids under 18	24.1%±1.4Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13.7%±0.9Highest MA: 17.9%	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Lynn and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Lowest MA: 47.3%	35.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±0.6Lowest MA: 7.9%	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$75,043±$3kHighest 28% below MA	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA
	Lynn and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$510,100±$23kHighest 9% below MA	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,722±$60Highest about the MA average	$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,384Highest 10% below MA	$4,733Lowest 21% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	60%±4.1Highest MA: 51.8%	54.2%±2.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Lynn and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.8%Lowest MA: 10%	19.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	48.1%Highest MA: 62.5%	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 18 yrs older than MA	1951Highest 13 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 8% above MA	24 minLowest 17% below MA
Work from home	7.9%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%	11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#277 of 282 in MA	#266 of 282 in MA
School district	Lynn	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester
High school in town	Lynn English High	South High Community
Students per teacherat that high school	15.0Highest	14.6Lowest
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.