Compare towns
Worcester vs Orange vs New Bedford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Worcester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.1%).
Orange has the most homeowners (70%).
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.
| Measure | Worcester | Orange | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
7,573Lowest |
100,998 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-3.4%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.3% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA |
41.8±2.2Highest 4% above MA |
37±0.8 8% below MA |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8Lowest MA: 19.4% |
22.2%±3.8 MA: 19.4% |
23.9%±1.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
| New Bedford and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9% |
20.3%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
15.4%±0.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
15.7%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
17% MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9% |
2%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±0.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kHighest 33% below MA |
$55,824±$10kLowest 46% below MA |
$56,981±$3k 45% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kHighest 33% below MA |
$245,900±$18kLowest 56% below MA |
$357,300±$6k 36% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA |
$775±$233Lowest 56% below MA |
$1,137±$26 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Highest 21% below MA |
$4,136Lowest 31% below MA |
$4,338 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8% |
41%±11.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
52.6%±3.2 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% |
22.4%Highest MA: 10% |
20.6% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8% MA: 62.5% |
70%Highest MA: 62.5% |
40.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 13 yrs older than MA |
1966Highest 2 yrs newer than MA |
1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 17% below MA |
33 minHighest 13% above MA |
25 min 15% below MA |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6% |
6.6%±2.8 MA: 18.6% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | #275 of 282 in MA | #263 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | Orange · Ralph C Mahar | New Bedford · Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical |
| High school in town | South High Community | Ralph C Mahar Regional | New Bedford High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
9.0Lowest |
13.5 |
| 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.