What stands out worked out from the figures below

Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Worcester	New Bedford
People
Population	207,055Highest	100,998Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+6.3%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA	37±0.8Highest 8% below MA
Kids under 18	19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4%	23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%	15.4%±0.9Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	17%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	4.1%±0.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,102±$2kHighest 33% below MA	$56,981±$3kLowest 45% below MA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,400±$7kHighest 33% below MA	$357,300±$6kLowest 36% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA	$1,137±$26Lowest 35% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,733Highest 21% below MA	$4,338Lowest 28% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8%	52.6%±3.2Lowest MA: 51.8%
	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%Lowest MA: 10%	20.6%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.8%Highest MA: 62.5%	40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Highest 13 yrs older than MA	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 17% below MA	25 minHighest 15% below MA
Work from home	11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6%	5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#266 of 282 in MA	#263 of 282 in MA
School district	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester	New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	South High Community	New Bedford High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	13.5Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.