What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

North Windham has the most homeowners (80.1%).

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	North Windham
People
Population	207,055Highest	5,417Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S.	42±3Highest 8% above U.S.
Kids under 18	19.6%±0.8Highest U.S.: 22%	16.6%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Worcester and North Windham 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%	18.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	37%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.4%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,102±$2kLowest 13% below U.S.	$88,522±$8kHighest 10% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,400±$7kHighest 13% above U.S.	$342,800±$29kLowest 3% above U.S.
	Worcester and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S.	$1,248±$604Lowest 12% below U.S.
	Worcester and North Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,733Highest 52% above U.S.	$3,546Lowest 14% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±2.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	30.7%±14.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	19.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	6.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	80.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S.	1980Highest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 9% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	20.9%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#266 of 282 in MA	—
School district	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester	—
High school in town	South High Community	—
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.