Compare towns
Worcester vs Needham vs Auburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has the most renters (57.2% rent).
Needham has the most expensive homes ($1189k median).
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 | Needham | Auburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
32,459 |
16,970Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+11.1% MA: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
43.1±1.6 8% above MA |
44.8±1.6Highest 12% above MA |
| Auburn and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
27.5%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
21%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
17.7%±1.7 MA: 17.9% |
20.9%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Auburn and Needham 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 MA: 47.3% |
81.9%Highest MA: 47.3% |
45.4% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.4%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
5%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA |
$214,308±$13kHighest 106% above MA |
$116,711±$10k 12% above MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 111% above MA |
$400,000±$16k 29% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 16% below MA |
$2,409±$183Highest 37% above MA |
$1,467±$155Lowest 17% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 21% below MA |
$10,000+Highest at least 67% above MA |
$5,289 12% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 MA: 51.8% |
55.9%±8.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±10.5Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Needham 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 MA: 10% |
3.7%Lowest MA: 10% |
5.2% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
83.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
79.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA |
1965Highest 1 yr newer than MA |
1963 1 yr older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
28 minHighest 5% below MA |
26 min 12% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Lowest MA: 18.6% |
32.4%±2.4Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.1%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #19 of 282 in MA | #106 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Needham | Auburn |
| High school in town | South High Community | Needham High | Auburn Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
11.9Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.