Compare towns
Worcester vs Acton vs Lowell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Acton has the most people working from home (35.9%).
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 | Worcester | Acton | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
24,155Lowest |
118,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+9.6% MA: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
44.5±0.8Highest 11% above MA |
35.6±0.8 11% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
23.2%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4% |
21.7%±1.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Acton and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
17.6%±1.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% MA: 47.3% |
79.5%Highest MA: 47.3% |
30%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.9%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
9.7%±0.6 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$158,230±$14kHighest 52% above MA |
$78,658±$4k 24% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$807,300±$20kHighest 44% above MA |
$429,200±$11k 24% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA |
$1,986±$155Highest 13% above MA |
$1,625±$40 8% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 21% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$4,499Lowest 25% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
47.7%±11.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.4%±3.8 MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
16.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.9%Highest MA: 62.5% |
43.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1974Highest 10 yrs newer than MA |
1953 11 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
35 minHighest 19% above MA |
28 min 4% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
35.9%±4.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.6%±1.3Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #13 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Acton-Boxborough | Lowell |
| High school in town | South High Community | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
13.5Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| 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.