Compare towns
Winchester vs Worcester vs Woburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchester has the most people working from home (33.8%).
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.
| Measure | Winchester | Worcester | Woburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 23,406Lowest |
207,055Highest |
41,939 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.5% MA: +7.4% |
+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.5±1.9Highest 6% above MA |
33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
39.3±1.6 about the MA average |
| Winchester and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 27.6%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
19.6%±0.8 MA: 19.4% |
17.9%±1.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 18%±2Highest MA: 17.9% |
13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
15.7%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
| Winchester and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
46.5% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.1%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $230,198±$21kHighest 121% above MA |
$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$111,185±$9k 7% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,215,200±$39kHighest 116% above MA |
$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$673,500±$17k 20% above MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,279±$481Highest 29% above MA |
$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$2,221±$77 26% above MA |
| Winchester and Woburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$5,354 11% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.3%±13.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
| Woburn and Worcester 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% |
7.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
55.7% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954 10 yrs older than MA |
1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1968Highest 4 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 8% above MA |
24 minLowest 17% below MA |
25 min 13% below MA |
| Work from home | 33.8%±3Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
16%±2.6 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #11 of 282 in MA | #266 of 282 in MA | #169 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Winchester | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Woburn |
| High school in town | Winchester High School | South High Community | Woburn High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.6 |
11.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.