Compare towns
Worcester vs Bow vs New Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
New Bedford has the most renters (59.7% rent).
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 | Bow | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
8,335Lowest |
100,998 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
41.5±2Highest 7% above U.S. |
37±0.8 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bow and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2k 13% below U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$56,981±$3kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34kHighest 52% above U.S. |
$357,300±$6kLowest 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,137±$26Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Bow and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 52% above U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,338Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Worcester and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #26 of 120 in NH | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Bow School District | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | South High Community | Bow High School | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
12.8Lowest |
13.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.