Compare towns
Worcester vs Plainfield vs Shrewsbury
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 oldest population (median age 48.1).
Shrewsbury has the highest household income ($139k).
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 | Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 207,055Highest |
1,314Lowest |
38,876 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +14.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 33.9±0.5Lowest 13% below U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
40.6±1.5 4% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.6%±0.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 13.3%±0.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±1.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
65.6%Highest 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% |
4.9%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,102±$2k 13% below U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$139,302±$11kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $374,400±$7k 13% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$592,300±$20kHighest 78% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,487±$38 5% above U.S. |
$1,153±$103Lowest 18% below U.S. |
$2,116±$98Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,733Lowest 52% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
$6,923Highest 122% 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% |
44.2%±6.9Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1951Lowest 29 yrs older than U.S. |
1955 25 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #266 of 282 in MA | — | #30 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ma Academy for Math and Science · Worcester | — | Shrewsbury |
| High school in town | South High Community | — | Shrewsbury High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6Highest |
— | 14.4Lowest |
| 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.