What stands out worked out from the figures below

Winchester has the highest household income ($230k).

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	Winchester	Worcester
People
Population	23,406Lowest	207,055Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	42.5±1.9Highest 6% above MA	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA
Kids under 18	27.6%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4%	19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	18%±2Highest MA: 17.9%	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	79.5%Highest MA: 47.3%	35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9%	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$230,198±$21kHighest 121% above MA	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,215,200±$39kHighest 116% above MA	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,279±$481Highest 29% 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	39.3%±13.3Lowest MA: 51.8%	54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8%
	Worcester and Winchester 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	81.7%Highest MA: 62.5%	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Highest 10 yrs older than MA	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 8% above MA	24 minLowest 17% below MA
Work from home	33.8%±3Highest MA: 18.6%	11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#11 of 282 in MA	#266 of 282 in MA
School district	Winchester	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester
High school in town	Winchester High School	South High Community
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Highest	14.6Lowest
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.