Compare towns
Worcester vs Litchfield vs Auburn
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Litchfield has the most people working from home (21%).
Auburn has the oldest population (median age 44.8).
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 | Litchfield | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
8,499Lowest |
16,970 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
43.1±1.7 11% above U.S. |
44.8±1.6Highest 15% above U.S. |
| Auburn and Litchfield 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% |
22.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Litchfield and Auburn 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% |
14.9%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.9%±2.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$162,036±$11kHighest 101% above U.S. |
$116,711±$10k 45% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$485,000±$18kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$400,000±$16k 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$2,138±$406Highest 51% above U.S. |
$1,467±$155Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$8,273Highest 165% above U.S. |
$5,289 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
81.5%±38.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.4%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Litchfield and Worcester 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% |
1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1963 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Litchfield and Auburn 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 | #53 of 120 in NH | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Litchfield School District | Auburn |
| High school in town | South High Community | Campbell High School | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
11.4Lowest |
12.1 |
| 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.