Compare towns
Worcester vs Everett vs Pelham vs Auburn
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.8%).
Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).
Auburn has the oldest population (median age 44.8).
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 | Pelham | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
50,045 |
14,449Lowest |
16,970 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+17.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
35.2±1.5 10% below U.S. |
41.5±2.7 7% above U.S. |
44.8±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.8%±2.1 U.S.: 22% |
22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Pelham 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% |
16.5%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4%Highest 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% |
5.9%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$85,218±$7k 6% above U.S. |
$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S. |
$116,711±$10k 45% above U.S. |
| Pelham 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 13% above U.S. |
$610,000±$23kHighest 83% above U.S. |
$552,600±$27k 66% above U.S. |
$400,000±$16k 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$2,076±$69Highest 47% above U.S. |
$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,467±$155 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$4,880 56% above U.S. |
$8,634Highest 177% above U.S. |
$5,289 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±5.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pelham and Everett 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% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
37.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 33% above U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #264 of 282 in MA | #48 of 120 in NH | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Everett | Pelham School District | Auburn |
| High school in town | South High Community | Everett High | Pelham High School | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
12.1 |
10.4Lowest |
12.1 |
| 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.