What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Palmer Town has the most homeowners (71.5%).

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	Palmer Town
People
Population	207,055Highest	12,381Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.1%Highest MA: +7.4%	+2.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%
Median age	33.9±0.5Lowest 15% below MA	47.8±5.6Highest 20% above MA
Kids under 18	19.6%±0.8Highest MA: 19.4%	15.1%±3.1Lowest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	13.3%±0.6Lowest MA: 17.9%	20.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.2%Highest MA: 47.3%	23.5%Lowest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	14.1%±0.8Highest MA: 7.9%	3.4%±1.5Lowest MA: 7.9%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,102±$2kLowest 33% below MA	$78,480±$8kHighest 25% below MA
	Palmer Town and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$374,400±$7kHighest 33% below MA	$271,400±$21kLowest 52% below MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,487±$38Highest 16% below MA	$1,075±$103Lowest 39% below MA
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,733Highest 21% below MA	$4,540Lowest 24% below MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	54.2%±2.9Highest MA: 51.8%	52.9%±10.6Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Worcester and Palmer Town 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%	8.3%Lowest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	42.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%	71.5%Highest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1951Lowest 13 yrs older than MA	1962Highest 2 yrs older than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 17% below MA	31 minHighest 8% above MA
Work from home	11.5%±1Highest MA: 18.6%	7.3%±2.7Lowest MA: 18.6%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#266 of 282 in MA	#252 of 282 in MA
School district	Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester	Palmer · Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical
High school in town	South High Community	Pathfinder Vocational Technical
Students per teacherat that high school	14.6Highest	9.9Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.