Compare towns
Worcester vs Exeter 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 renters (57.2% rent).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Auburn has the most homeowners (79.6%).
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 | Exeter | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
16,151Lowest |
16,970 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
44.8±1.6 15% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Auburn 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% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Auburn and Worcester 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Auburn 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$116,711±$10kHighest 45% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$400,000±$16k 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,467±$155Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,289 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Auburn 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Auburn |
| High school in town | South High Community | Exeter High School | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
12.1Lowest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.