What stands out worked out from the figures below

Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).

Easthampton has the most people working from home (19%).

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	Easthampton
People
Population	207,055Highest	16,086Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.1% MA: +7.4%	—
Median age	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA	46±2.6Highest 15% above MA
Kids under 18	19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4%	15.5%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%	23.9%±3Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.2%Lowest MA: 47.3%	38%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	6.1%±1.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA	$71,673±$7kHighest 31% below MA
	Easthampton and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,400±$7kHighest 33% below MA	$371,500±$15kLowest 34% below MA
	Worcester and Easthampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA	$1,292±$70Lowest 27% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,733Lowest 21% below MA	$4,932Highest 18% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8%	45.5%±10.7Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Worcester and Easthampton 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%	8%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	58.4%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA	1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 17% below MA	22 minLowest 23% below MA
Work from home	11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6%	19%±3.2Highest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#266 of 282 in MA	#92 of 282 in MA
School district	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester	Easthampton
High school in town	South High Community	Easthampton High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	9.8Lowest
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.