Compare towns
Worcester vs North Windham vs Springfield vs Lynn
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%).
North Windham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($245k median).
Lynn has the most expensive homes ($510k 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 | North Windham | Springfield | Lynn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
5,417Lowest |
154,749 |
101,709 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5 13% below U.S. |
42±3Highest 8% above U.S. |
33.7±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
36.5±1.2 6% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±0.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
24.1%±1.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Springfield and Lynn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.4%±3.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.7%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
20.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.1% 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% |
7.5%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2k 13% below U.S. |
$88,522±$8kHighest 10% above U.S. |
$52,656±$2kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$75,043±$3k 7% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$342,800±$29k 3% above U.S. |
$245,000±$4kLowest 26% below U.S. |
$510,100±$23kHighest 53% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$1,248±$604 12% below U.S. |
$1,144±$55Lowest 19% below U.S. |
$1,722±$60Highest 22% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 52% above U.S. |
$3,546Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$3,695 18% above U.S. |
$5,384Highest 73% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±14.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±3.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
60%±4.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lynn and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 19.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
25.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
13.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1952 28 yrs older than U.S. |
1946Lowest 34 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 23% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 19% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.9%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.4%±0.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.9%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | — | #276 of 282 in MA | #277 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | — | Springfield | Lynn |
| High school in town | South High Community | — | Springfield Central High | Lynn English High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
— | 12.2Lowest |
15.0Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.