Compare towns
Woburn vs Canton vs Burlington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Woburn has the most renters (44.3% rent).
Canton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Burlington has the oldest population (median age 45.9).
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 | Woburn | Canton | Burlington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 41,939Highest |
24,748Lowest |
26,274 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+13%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+7.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39.3±1.6Lowest about the MA average |
42.6±2.3 7% above MA |
45.9±2.2Highest 15% above MA |
| Burlington and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±1.7 MA: 19.4% |
22.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
17.1%±2.2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 15.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
18.8%±2 MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Burlington and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.5%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
67.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
58.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1 MA: 7.9% |
| Woburn and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,185±$9kLowest 7% above MA |
$143,381±$9k 38% above MA |
$146,436±$14kHighest 41% above MA |
| Burlington and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $673,500±$17kLowest 20% above MA |
$710,600±$27k 26% above MA |
$740,600±$35kHighest 32% above MA |
| Burlington and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,221±$77Lowest 26% above MA |
$2,315±$178 31% above MA |
$2,718±$368Highest 54% above MA |
| Burlington and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,354Lowest 11% below MA |
$6,560Highest 9% above MA |
$6,165 about the MA average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±7.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±9.1 MA: 51.8% |
50.4%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Woburn and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Highest MA: 10% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
73.6% MA: 62.5% |
74.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 4 yrs newer than MA |
1980Highest 16 yrs newer than MA |
1972 8 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 13% below MA |
36 minHighest 23% above MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 16%±2.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
25.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
22.5%±3.2 MA: 18.6% |
| Canton and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #169 of 282 in MA | #81 of 282 in MA | #83 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Woburn | Blue Hills Regional Vocational Technical · Canton | — |
| High school in town | Woburn High | Canton High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.2Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| 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.