Compare towns
Worcester vs Griswold vs Springfield vs Lowell
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 people working from home (11.5%).
Griswold has the most homeowners (73.3%).
Springfield has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Lowell has the most expensive homes ($429k median).
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 | Griswold | Springfield | Lowell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
11,530Lowest |
154,749 |
118,368 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5 13% below U.S. |
48.1±3.9Highest 24% above U.S. |
33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
35.6±0.8 8% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
18.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±1.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.8%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.2%±0.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
19.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
30% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
9.7%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2k 13% below U.S. |
$78,719±$11kHighest about the U.S. average |
$52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$78,658±$4k about the U.S. average |
| Griswold and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$275,900±$42k 17% below U.S. |
$245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$429,200±$11kHighest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$1,177±$65 17% below U.S. |
$1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,625±$40Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Highest 52% above U.S. |
$4,628 48% above U.S. |
$3,695Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$4,499 44% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.5%±15.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±3.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Springfield and Griswold are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
43.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1953 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.6%±1.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Lowell 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 | #118 of 149 in CT | #276 of 282 in MA | #255 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Griswold School District | Springfield | Lowell |
| High school in town | South High Community | Griswold High School | Springfield Central High | Lowell High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
11.5Lowest |
12.2 |
14.8Highest |
| 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.