Compare towns
Worcester vs Plainfield vs New Bedford
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%).
Plainfield has the most homeowners (80.9%).
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 | Plainfield | New Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
1,314Lowest |
100,998 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
37±0.8 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.9%±1.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±0.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
17%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 14.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±0.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2kHighest 13% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31k 14% below U.S. |
$56,981±$3kLowest 29% below U.S. |
| Worcester and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$357,300±$6k 7% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38Highest 5% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
$1,137±$26Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733 52% above U.S. |
$4,806Highest 54% above U.S. |
$4,338Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±2.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Worcester 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% |
11.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1955Highest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.4%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Plainfield and Worcester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| 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 History | 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.