Compare towns
Worcester vs Exeter vs Lynn
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).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Lynn has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
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 | Lynn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
16,151Lowest |
101,709 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
36.5±1.2 6% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.1%±1.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.7%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1%Lowest 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% |
5.4%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$75,043±$3k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$510,100±$23kHighest 53% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,722±$60 22% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,384 73% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lynn and Exeter 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% |
13.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
48.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #277 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lynn |
| High school in town | South High Community | Exeter High School | Lynn English High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
12.1Lowest |
15.0Highest |
| 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.