Compare towns
Worcester vs Everett vs Calais vs West Boylston
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 the most affordable homes ($374k median).
Everett has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
West Boylston has the oldest population (median age 45.5).
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 | Everett | Calais | West Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
50,045 |
1,713Lowest |
7,782 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
35.2±1.5 10% below U.S. |
42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
45.5±2.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
| West Boylston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Everett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Boylston and Calais 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% |
24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$85,218±$7k 6% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$104,551±$12kHighest 30% above U.S. |
| West Boylston and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$610,000±$23kHighest 83% above U.S. |
$390,300±$36k 17% above U.S. |
$440,000±$24k 32% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$2,076±$69Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$1,261±$154Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$4,880 56% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$6,115 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
29.9%±12.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Everett and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | — | #97 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Everett | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | West Boylston |
| High school in town | South High Community | Everett High | None in town | West Boylston Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
12.1 |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.