Compare towns
Worcester vs Hermon vs New Bedford
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%).
Hermon has the most homeowners (75.2%).
New Bedford has the most kids (23.9% 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 | Hermon | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
6,727Lowest |
100,998 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
41.1±4.7Highest 6% above U.S. |
37±0.8 5% below U.S. |
| Hermon and New Bedford 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% |
21.6%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| New Bedford and Hermon 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% |
20.4%±4.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hermon and New Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2k 13% below U.S. |
$96,629±$22kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$56,981±$3kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32kLowest about the U.S. average |
$357,300±$6k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
$1,137±$26Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Worcester and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Highest 52% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$4,338 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Worcester and New Bedford 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% |
6.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Worcester and Hermon 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Hermon Public Schools | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | South High Community | Hermon High School | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
14.6Highest |
13.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.