Compare towns
Worcester vs Hanson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Hanson has the most homeowners (100%).
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 | Hanson |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
1,927Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-4.2%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
44±4.3Highest 10% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
25%±5.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| Hanson 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 MA: 17.9% |
19.7%±4.5Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
35.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
0.5%±1Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$119,211±$24kHighest 15% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$513,000±$55kHighest 9% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 16% below MA |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$6,429Highest 7% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
— |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest MA: 10% |
3.2%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
100%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1967Highest 3 yrs newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
37 minHighest 26% above MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6% |
11.2%±5.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Worcester and Hanson 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 | #149 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | — |
| High school in town | South High Community | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet |
MA 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.