What stands out worked out from the figures below

Worcester has the most people working from home (10.5%).

Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.1%).

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	Worcester	Hermon
People
Population	1,032Lowest	1,146Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-11.4%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-3.1%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	35±13.3Lowest 12% below NY	36.3±14.4Highest 9% below NY
	Hermon and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	24.9%±6.4Lowest NY: 20.5%	29.9%±8.5Highest NY: 20.5%
	Hermon and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.7%±6.1Lowest NY: 17.9%	16.8%±5.8Highest NY: 17.9%
	Hermon and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	23.8%Lowest NY: 40.2%	25.9%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.1%±9.4Highest NY: 7%	2.2%±2.4Lowest NY: 7%
	Worcester and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,474±$30kLowest 25% below NY	$69,896±$16kHighest 19% below NY
	Hermon and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$145,700±$40kHighest 66% below NY	$105,500±$14kLowest 75% below NY
	Worcester and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$900±$435 44% below NY
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,498Lowest 77% below NY	$2,076Highest 68% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	100%±100Highest NY: 52.1%	19.4%±35.7Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Worcester and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	35.9%Highest NY: 14%	9.2%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	86.1%Highest NY: 54.3%	82.9%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 21 yrs older than NY	1971Highest 12 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest about the NY average	31 minLowest 4% below NY
Work from home	10.5%±8.4Highest NY: 14.9%	5.1%±3.4Lowest NY: 14.9%
	Worcester and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY 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.