Compare towns
Worcester vs Auburn vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Auburn has the oldest population (median age 44.8).
Grafton has the most people working from home (22.4%).
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 | Auburn | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
16,970Lowest |
19,902 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+10.7% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
41.1±1.6 about the MA average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
21%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
22.5%±2.7Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Grafton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.5%±2.3 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
45.4% MA: 47.3% |
55.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
$131,484±$11kHighest 26% above MA |
| Grafton and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$400,000±$16k 29% below MA |
$525,300±$37kHighest 7% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
$1,504±$169Highest 15% below MA |
| Grafton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$5,289 12% below MA |
$7,117Highest 19% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±10.5 MA: 51.8% |
45.1%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Worcester and Auburn 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% |
5.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.3% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
79.6%Highest MA: 62.5% |
73.2% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
1977Highest 13 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
26 min 12% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
22.4%±2.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #106 of 282 in MA | #67 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Auburn | Grafton |
| High school in town | South High Community | Auburn Senior High | Grafton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.9 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.