What stands out worked out from the figures below

Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).

Boston has the most expensive homes ($732k median).

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	Boston
People
Population	207,055Lowest	666,442Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+9.4%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.9±0.5Highest 15% below MA	33.3±0.2Lowest 17% below MA
	Worcester and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4%	15.1%±0.3Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13.3%±0.6Highest MA: 17.9%	13%±0.3Lowest MA: 17.9%
	Worcester and Boston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%	54.9%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.1%±0.8Lowest MA: 7.9%	15%±0.3Highest MA: 7.9%
	Boston and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA	$97,344±$2kHighest 6% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA	$731,700±$10kHighest 30% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$38Lowest 16% below MA	$2,147±$25Highest 22% above MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,733Highest 21% below MA	$4,456Lowest 26% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8%	51.2%±1.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Worcester and Boston 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%	16.6%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	35.7%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Highest 13 yrs older than MA	1947Lowest 17 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 17% below MA	30 minHighest 4% above MA
Work from home	11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%	21.3%±0.5Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#266 of 282 in MA	#258 of 282 in MA
School district	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester	Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers: A Horace Mann · Boston
High school in town	South High Community	Boston Latin School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Lowest	18.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.