Compare towns
Worcester vs Lawrence vs Springfield vs Millbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lawrence has the most renters (71.9% rent).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Millbury has the highest household income ($119k).
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 | Lawrence | Springfield | Millbury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
88,736 |
154,749 |
13,961Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1% MA: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5 15% below MA |
32.6±0.9Lowest 19% below MA |
33.7±0.5 16% below MA |
42.6±3.1Highest 7% above MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
26.3%±1.6Highest MA: 19.4% |
24.2%±0.9 MA: 19.4% |
20.9%±3 MA: 19.4% |
| Lawrence and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6 MA: 17.9% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
13.2%±0.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.2%±2.7Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% MA: 47.3% |
16.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
20.5% MA: 47.3% |
36.1%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±0.8 MA: 7.9% |
7.5%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
4.6%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2k 33% below MA |
$60,433±$3k 42% below MA |
$52,656±$2kLowest 49% below MA |
$118,790±$13kHighest 14% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7k 33% below MA |
$415,200±$23k 26% below MA |
$245,000±$4kLowest 56% below MA |
$450,100±$19kHighest 20% below MA |
| Millbury and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$1,662±$50Highest 6% below MA |
$1,144±$55Lowest 35% below MA |
$1,623±$232 8% below MA |
| Lawrence and Millbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 21% below MA |
$3,422Lowest 43% below MA |
$3,695 38% below MA |
$5,406Highest 10% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
60.6%±3.6Highest MA: 51.8% |
57.7%±3.1 MA: 51.8% |
43.5%±12.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lawrence and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% MA: 10% |
17.6% MA: 10% |
25.8%Highest MA: 10% |
5%Lowest MA: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8% MA: 62.5% |
28.1%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
49.6% MA: 62.5% |
75.4%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1952 12 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 17% below MA |
23 min 21% below MA |
20 minLowest 31% below MA |
29 minHighest about the MA average |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 MA: 18.6% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
8.4%±0.9 MA: 18.6% |
14.8%±3.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
| Millbury and Worcester 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 | #278 of 282 in MA | #276 of 282 in MA | #202 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Lawrence | Springfield | Millbury |
| High school in town | South High Community | Lawrence High School | Springfield Central High | Millbury Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
13.6 |
12.2 |
11.3Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.