Compare towns
Worcester vs Middlesex vs West Boylston
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%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
West Boylston has the most expensive homes ($440k 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 | Middlesex | West Boylston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
1,943Lowest |
7,782 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
45.5±2.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
| West Boylston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.8%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Boylston and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$104,551±$12k 30% above U.S. |
| Middlesex and West Boylston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$440,000±$24kHighest 32% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,261±$154Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Worcester and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$6,115 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.9%±12.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1967 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.7%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and West Boylston 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 | — | #97 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | West Boylston |
| High school in town | South High Community | None in town | West Boylston Junior/Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
— | 10.6Lowest |
| 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.